buckthesystem Posted February 16, 2007 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 1,706 Topics Per Day: 0.26 Content Count: 3,386 Content Per Day: 0.51 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/12/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/10/1955 Share Posted February 16, 2007 http://www.stuff.co.nz/3963998a4560.html 'Catwoman' robs Taranaki bank A young woman wearing a Catwoman mask held up a Taranaki bank and vanished on foot in lunchtime traffic yesterday. The police don't know who she is or where she went, or whether she acted alone. She walked into the ASB Bank branch in Hawera's central business district at 12.30pm, threatened tellers and slipped out with an undisclosed amount of cash in her bag. "We don't even know for sure whether she had a firearm, because it was covered by a piece of fabric," said the officer in charge, Senior Sergeant Mike Hannah. "She indicated to the teller that she was pointing a gun and the teller assumed she had one. She spoke calmly to the teller." She turned right outside the door and went in the direction of Albion St. It is presumed she removed the mask before stepping out the door. The bank is almost opposite the public library and a busy law firm, and next door to a photo lab. Sixteen police are working on the case. "We'd like to hear from anyone who saw a person wearing similar clothing in the CBD that day, or anything which might have been connected with the robbery," Mr Hannah said. Police issued a photo from one of the bank's security cameras, of the masked robber pointing her concealed weapon at the teller. She is described as a Caucasian, about 1.65m (5ft 5in), with blondish hair in a ponytail, aged under 25, wearing a black jacket and dark trousers, with a distinctive large, open-collar 1970s style white shirt. He said anyone with possibly useful information should call him at the Hawera police station on 06 278 0260 or 278 0275. He said the police did not know whether the woman was dangerous, "but one must presume anyone prepared to commit an armed robbery of a bank may be prepared to try it again and, therefore, could be dangerous. The fact that the robber wore a mask points to this being a planned event." He said there were no customers in the bank. The teller acted as she was trained to, by not challenging the intruder, and alerting the police immediately after. Mr Hannah said the last bank robbery in Hawera would have been about 1985 and he had personally arrested the perpetrator. He said police had not yet arrested a man who held up the King Edward Park Store at knifepoint on January 31 and escaped with cash and cigarettes. He was also filmed by a security camera. Ian Parke, head of retail banking for ASB, in Auckland, said the bank was closed for police investigations and a security guard posted at the door. It would be business as usual today. "In circumstances like this, our main concern is our staff and we have people en route for counselling and support for our staff," he said. "We've had a few instances over the years, although bank robberies are not as prevalent as they used to be, because our security and processes are very good. "But it didn't stop this one. It depends on how desperate individuals are. For someone to walk into a bank with the kind of security levels we have, with time locks and cameras etc, people have to appreciate there is a high probability they will be caught. "The staffer, we believe, acted as she was trained to, which is to stay calm, carry out actions as requested and don't antagonise the perpetrator. "I get to Hawera reasonably often and I've never felt intimidated there. It's one of those places where you think this couldn't happen. Unfortunately, it has." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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