Westpac Bishopdale Aggravated Robbery

Just prior to 1.40 pm on Wednesday 12 June 2008, staff at the Bishopdale Branch of the Westpac bank were robbed.

A lone male entered the bank and placed a green cloth eco-type shopping bag on the counter, and passed the teller a note demanding money.

The male was given a small sum of money and then left on foot towards the car park to the south of Bishopdale Mall, where he got onto what has been described as a mountain bike and riding off West towards Leacroft Street at speed.

The male has been described as being of solid build and having olive coloured to dark skin and was possibly Maori, with an effeminate type looking face.

Detective Sergeant Cottam said the offender left behind the green shopping bag and due to the nature of the threat in the note, a risk assessment was done and a Customs explosives dog and the New Zealand Defence Force bomb disposal squad were called in to assess the bag.

As a result the bag was blown up in a controlled explosion and was not found to contain anything suspicious.

He would like to thank the co-operation of the bank staff, businesses and the public who were affected that afternoon.

Police are making further enquiries into the robbery and are seeking information from witnesses who may have seen a male matching the above description carrying the green cloth shopping bag in the Bishopdale mall area prior to the robbery; and riding away from the Mall area after the robbery.

Any information can be forwarded to Detective Sergeant Cottam at the Papanui Police on 03 374 1700.