Robbed firm faced fraud probe

An Auckland financial company robbed of more than $100,000 in a brazen armed raid has been embroiled in a Serious Fraud Office investigation that led to charges against one of its directors.

A man armed with a knife and a woman brandishing a pistol made off with the haul of local and foreign currency within a few minutes of bursting into the office of the firm, An Ying, on Tuesday afternoon.

The couple entered the 4th floor office in Enterprise House, just off Queen Street, about 1.40pm with their heads covered and wearing sunglasses.

The woman pointed the gun at the receptionist and held the lift door open while the man jumped the counter, grabbed the receptionist and demanded money.

When the woman, aged in her mid-20s, started yelling in Mandarin for other staff to call police, the man put an arm-lock around her neck and held a knife to her throat.

Police say they have few leads. "It's early days but we'll have a look at all aspects of it," said Detective Senior Sergeant Julian Rinckes.

An Ying is a group of companies with common directors and shareholders. A director, Yun Chen, is facing fraud charges related to Chinese immigrants and money transferred through the company.

A source told the Herald the SFO investigation had led to infighting and acrimony among shareholders.

There was speculation within the Chinese community that the hold-up was somehow connected to the internal ructions, although a director, Nancy Xin, dismissed any link.

"It's nothing to do with this [robbery]. No, this is totally different, I promise. Everything is all good [in the company] now."

She said the company's east Auckland branch office had been previously robbed.

Mr Rinckes said police would look at any other robberies at the company's other branches.

He said the robbers obviously knew of the business but he did not want to speculate on why they had targeted An Ying.

Detectives spent yesterday talking to staff members and viewing security footage.

They are also viewing other closed-circuit camera footage from around the city.

Police arrived at the scene within minutes of being alerted by staff but the pair had escaped into busy Queen Street and were seen running down the street but no further witnesses had come forward.

Mr Rinckes said he did not know if a young Asian woman, who was standing by the lifts during the raid, was significant to the inquiry.