NSW: Bank customers ordered to the floor during heist

AAP General News (Australia)
02-19-2000
NSW: Bank customers ordered to the floor during heist

By Karen Michelmore

SYDNEY, Feb 19 AAP - Terrified bank customers were ordered to lie on the floor during
one of two armed bank robberies in Sydney yesterday.

A customer was knocked down as he and others fled the Guildford bank during the foiled
robbery in Sydney's west yesterday.

It was the second bank heist in Sydney yesterday afternoon.

Less than two hours earlier three masked men wielding sawn-off shotguns escaped with
an undisclosed amount of money after robbing a central Sydney bank.

The men had entered the George Street bank at Haymarket about 1.45pm (AEDT) yesterday.

They jumped the counter and rifled through cash drawers before escaping with an undisclosed
amount of money in a dark-coloured Subaru, a police spokesman said.

At least two of the men were armed with sawn-off single barrelled firearms, he said.

In the foiled Guildford robbery, four bandits wearing balaclavas and armed with sledge-hammers
and a small handgun entered the bank through a rear door about 3.30pm (AEDT), a police
spokesman said.

As they ordered customers to lie on the floor, bank staff activated security screens
to keep the robbers out of the teller area, he said.

"The offenders then started smashing a security door with the sledge-hammers but were
unable to get in," Rosehill Local Area Command Inspector Harry Goedings said in a statement.

"They then left through a rear door behind several fleeing customers."

Patrolling police officers spotted the bandits and chased them, but lost them a short time later.

The bandits are described as being of Pacific Islander appearance, aged between 18
and 25 and of medium to solid build.

Police want to speak to the bank customer who was knocked down by the getaway car,
a silver Subaru, as he fled the bank.

The customer is described only as a middle-aged Caucasian man wearing a white shirt
and turquoise shorts.

Anyone with information on either incident should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

AAP km/arb/de

KEYWORD: BANK NIGHTLEAD

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