The $200,000 armed heist

Police say recovering a getaway car is their best hope of solving a daring daylight bank heist that netted at least $200,000.

A balaclava-clad man brandishing a sawn-off shotgun snatched six zip-sealed bank bags from an armoured security van in South Auckland late on Friday before escaping in a stolen Subaru driven by an accomplice.

Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Pizzini said the van driver, a 50-year-old Indian from West Auckland, was recovering from shock.

"It has definitely affected him and he's quite traumatised. The guy came up from the side and completely out of the blue."

The driver was placing the bank bags - five black and one orange - into the van at the entrance to the BNZ branch on the corner of Great South Rd and Ronwood Ave at 5.22pm when the robber approached.

Detective Sergeant Simon Irving said the solidly built man, wearing a black balaclava over a peaked cap, white gloves, dark sweatshirt, blue jeans and sneakers, made violent threats before grabbing the bags and running behind the bank.

He would not be drawn on what threats were made.

The driver was unsure of the robber's ethnicity because he did not have an accent and his face was obscured.

Witnesses said the Subaru was driven by a fat man but were unable to give police a full description.

"It was well planned," said Irving. "It was out of the blue ... the driver had not seen anyone following him."

A customer at nearby JD's Sports Bar saw the Subaru parked in the bank carpark moments before the raid with its passenger door open.

"I knew something was up when I saw the car reverse really fast hard up against the bank, then a guy in a balaclava came running around the corner carrying all these bags on his shoulder.

"He looked like he was going to drop the bags, then he jumped in the car and then it sped out of the carpark. The tyres screeched ... it was mad, I was trying to get my phone out to take pictures but it was all over in seconds. They were just gone."

Irving said the car - licence plate END922 - was stolen in Papatoetoe about half an hour before the robbery. It was still missing last night.

Pizzini said while the investigation was ongoing, the people who stole the getaway car were "definitely implicated" in the robbery.

He would not comment on the serial numbers of the stolen notes, or confirm the exact amount stolen.

But he said no suspects had been identified and appealed for anyone with information to contact the Counties Manukau police.

"We are just hoping that somebody can tell us where the getaway car ends up and work from there."

- ADDITIONAL REPORTING: Rebecca Lewis