Robber hits city three times during afternoon

The man who robbed the BNZ at Auckland airport yesterday is wanted in connection with over 12 robberies in the last 6 months.

A serial bank robber struck three times in as many hours yesterday and police say the man thought responsible for 10 other raids may soon hurt or kill.

The armed robberies in Auckland yesterday prompted detectives to release security footage of the suspect.

Each time he strikes he uses the same, chilling modus operandi.

Mid-to-late afternoon, and often on a Friday, the man enters a bank and waits quietly in line.

When he arrives at the counter he hands the teller a note demanding money and warning he has a gun.

He makes no attempt to disguise himself and is always composed and calm.

There have been few witnesses because he walks out of the buildings and "just disappears", police say.

But officers last night said the man was becoming increasingly agitated in recent raids and had started grasping the gun from a bag to show bank staff.

"We are becoming more and more concerned for the safety of bank staff and the public," said Constable Neil Hilton.

"It's becoming more and more likely that he will use this weapon."

Yesterday's string of attacks began with a foiled attempt at 2.45pm at the BNZ Bank in the check-in area of Auckland Airport.

Airport-based Constable John Nicol said a man in his 30s approached a teller, after waiting in a long queue, and presented a note saying "something along the lines of 'I have a gun, hand over the money'."

He opened a blue bag and showed the female teller a pistol, but the woman thought it was a fake and "pretty much laughed him off".

Mr Nicol said the man then grabbed his note from the counter and ran towards the carpark.

Mr Hilton said that months after the first raids, some bank staff were still undergoing counselling.

"It's not a big 'throwing guns around, everyone on the ground' type of robbery but it can have the same effect on the victims," he said.

The man tried again yesterday shortly after 4pm at the ASB Bank on Dominion Rd, Mt Eden. He pointed a small handgun at a teller but did not get any money.

While detectives were examining the scene, he targeted the New Zealand Post building at the Royal Oak roundabout at 4.50pm, where he escaped with an unspecified haul despite being pursued by a member of the public.

The three raids were all by the same man, but that has not always been the case.

Detective Sergeant Andy King said police arrested one man in relation to the series of robberies, but were not sure if he was working with the man still on the loose.

What police are sure of is that yesterday's robber is becoming more and more frustrated, especially when he walks away without any money.

"With that frustration may come violence," said Mr King.

"He's been quiet and calm up until a week or two ago but it's building up.

"Police have very, very strong concerns that this may escalate to the point that he might use a firearm to injure members of the public or staff he is robbing."

The six-month spree began on October 22 at the ASB in Grey Lynn. Three days later he struck at the Dominion Rd TAB.

By early November the National Bank on Dominion Rd, an ASB in Three Kings and another ASB at St Lukes had all been hit.

After a lull, the robberies started again at the end of January.

Mr King said the man seemed familiar with the area and might be local.

"There's got to be someone who knows him."

He had not escaped with a huge amount of money.

"It's the safety aspect that's the main thing for us and the trauma he's creating is horrific."

Westpac Bank spokesman Paul Gregory said there was little banks could do to prevent unwanted people from entering branches but procedures were in place for when things went wrong.

No one was hurt in the Blockhouse Bay robbery last week and a security review found that the systems in place worked well. But extra security guards had been brought in to protect the branch while the robber remained on the loose.