Heist biggest in nine years

A PAIR of armed robbers have made off with more than $200,000 in cash from an Armourguard security van in the country's biggest heist in nine years.

The Armourguard officer was held at gunpoint by one of the robbers as he was about to load six bags of money into the van outside the Manukau BNZ at 5.22pm on Friday.

The robber, armed with a sawn-off shotgun covered in a cloth, grabbed six money bags containing more than $200,000 and got away in a white Subaru Impreza parked nearby and driven by the second offender.

The bank's CCTV footage shows the Armourguard officer pulling the money bags out of the bank on a trolley. The armed robber approaches him, pointing the gun at him. The officer falls to the ground as the robber steals the money bags.

South Auckland police said the robbery was over in about 10 seconds, but it was one of the biggest they had seen in several years.

The getaway car was stolen from a public carpark in Papatoetoe, South Auckland, less than an hour earlier.

Detective Sergeant Simon Irving said the Armourguard officer was not hurt but was recovering from the shock of the ordeal.

"They were in and out very quickly and it seemed reasonably well-planned... We have the registration of the stolen vehicle and hopefully that will produce some leads for us."

Witnesses said they saw the Subaru parked in the bank's carpark with the back door open and it reversed suddenly towards the entrance. They thought it looked suspicious and seconds later saw the armed robber get in with the bags of cash. The car sped off, they said.

"I just saw [the driver] reversing hard out. Then [the robber] came running with the money bags and he was gone," said one man.

Morgan Christian, 19, whose car was stolen in the robbery, said he had driven to the Papakura shopping centre to get a haircut. When he returned to the carpark at 4.30pm, his car had gone. An elderly man told him he saw someone steal it.

By last night police had no firm leads on who the men were and the heist could not be connected to other recent offending in South Auckland.

Police had spoken to several witnesses from inside the bank or in the carpark where the robbery took place, Irving said.

He said CCTV footage showed the robber clearly although his face was disguised. He appealed to the public for any information that could lead to the pair's identification. People should be on alert for any strange behaviour. "With that amount of cash there's going to some change in their behaviour, probably some unusual spending."

People were also encouraged to be on the lookout for the bank bags, five of which were large black bags and one was orange. All had zip seals.

New Zealand's largest ever robbery was in December 2000 when close to $1 million was stolen from a Chubb security van loading money into an ATM on Willis St, Wellington.

The gunman in Friday's heist was described as of solid build, wearing a black balaclava over a peaked cap, white gloves, dark sweatshirt, blue jeans and sneakers. The robbers were last seen driving off in the Subaru behind the bank on to Great South Rd.

* Anyone with information should contact the Manukau police, (09)261-1300.

BIGGEST HEISTS
2009: In January, burglars at an Armourguard depot in Blenheim make off with more than $100,000.
2000: A van loading money into an ATM in Wellington is robbed of almost $1 million.
1999: In November, $478,000 is taken in the armed robbery of a security van at an Upper Hutt service station. Shots were fired at a witness.
1999: In May, Hutt Valley brothers Kevin and Leslie Polwart, armed with shotguns, take more than $600,000 from two Armourguard officers in Paraparaumu.
1994: About $400,000 stolen in an armed holdup of a security van at Auckland's Green Lane Hospital.
Source: Dominion Post