A gunshot, cash scattered on the footpath and a gutsy store owner taking on a couple of bank robbers: it was all go in Te Kūiti on Tuesday afternoon.
As King Country News went to print yesterday, police were yet to find the people who robbed ANZ’s Te Kūiti branch at gunpoint.
The police eagle helicopter was called to aid the search on Tuesday and Waikato West investigations manager Detective Senior Sergeant Ross Patterson said police were following strong leads in locating the pair.
Police were called at about midday on Tuesday when two people brandishing weapons, including a firearm, entered the bank and got away with an unknown amount of cash.
They got to the SuperValue carpark just 50 metres away when they were apprehended by the store’s owner, Tim Xing.
Tim was inside Super Liquor when he saw one of his employees standing outside talking on the phone.
He said he went to check on her when he noticed cash on the footpath.
The trail of money led him around the corner to the carpark, where he said he found a man and a woman huddled over, scooping up cash.
Tim said he grabbed the man, described as being about 5’7” tall and skinny, by the scruff of his neck.
While Tim held him, the woman grabbed a gun from her bag.
“But she is slow and I am fast,” he said.
A shot was fired in the direction of the pedestrian crossing, missing Tim.
It is unknown what the gun was, but it was about pistol sized. At shops about 75m away across the road, staff described hearing a “pop.”
Tim said the pair bolted through the carpark towards Waitomo District Library, then towards New World.
As they rode their motorbike – a black agricultural or motocross bike with muddy tyres – across the tracks towards the state highway, Tim followed.
He said they turned around and travelled back towards Taupiri St.
A SuperValue customer who was locked inside the shop for a few minutes as the incident unfolded said she saw two people wearing all black, run past.
She said a group of people gathered in the carpark at one point when the bank robbers were there and a sole police officer began to approach them, but stopped.
Police made a plea for information about the incident on Tuesday afternoon.
They wanted to hear from anyone who saw the motorbike anywhere in Te Kūiti before or after ANZ was robbed.
Yesterday, Ross said police were working hard to get the offenders off the street.
“Te Kūiti’s a fantastic, close-knit community that doesn’t tolerate things like this,” he said.
Ross said police attended a meeting yesterday organised by the community to discuss concerns about crime in the community.
“Aggravated robbery is a horrible crime that inflicts fear and trauma on innocent people and we understand that a lot of people will be concerned.”
Reports can be made to 105, Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or by emailing the local police at oto.police@police.govt.nz
ANZ said the branch closed for the rest of Tuesday and all of Wednesday in response to the incident.
“The safety of our staff and customers are of utmost importance and we’re relieved no one was seriously harmed,” a spokesperson said.
Because the matter is with police, the bank would make no further comment.
