STORY OF BANK HOLDUP
Press Association)
Young Man Pleads Guilty To Charge
(Per
AUCKLAND, Oct. 21. Edward John Patrick Phelan, aged 24, pleaded guilty in tlae Police Court today to a charge of armed robbery of £344 from the Bank of New Zealand agency at Parnell, on October 15, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. The police gave evidence that when arrested at his home in Milford the same day, Phelan said: "Yes, I did it. I was financially embarrassed and could not pay my debts. A shipping clerk stated that Phelan, on October 15, paid for passages for himself and his_ wife to England in bank notes. Witness noticed blood spots on Phelan's white straw hat. Told To "Put Them Up" McCorkindale stated that the agency was open on Tuesdays and Fridays. "I was alone- at. 11.45 balancing the cash," he saifi. "When accused entered he pointed an automatic pistol at me and said, 'Put them up. Stand back.'" I stepped back with my hands up, satisfied that he was in earnest. He kept me covered a's he came behind the counter, shifted the bank pistol from a shelf and ordere'd me to take the money out of the drawer. I did so."
Witness described how accused ordered him to face the wall, and gagged him with a scarf and proceeded to tie his hands behind his back. Witness turned slightly, saw accused's pistol on the counter, grabbed it by the muzzle and struck the robber a severe blow on the side of the head, whereupon accused ' closed with witness. Accuse'd bled freely from head wounds as witness continued to strike him. Accused then grabbed the pistol and witness had to exert all his strength to prevent the muzzle pointing at him. Robber's Getaway Throughout he called for help, said witness, but his cries were muffled by the scarf. Accused suddenly broke away, opened the door and ran voff into Heather Street. Witne'ss followed, but returned to guard- the cash. He then saw a pistol and a pair of horned rirnmed spe-ctacles. Witness identified the pistol and scarf produced by the policeJ
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHRONL19481021.2.50
Bibliographic details
Chronicle (Levin), 21 October 1948, Page 7
Word Count
356STORY OF BANK HOLDUP Chronicle (Levin), 21 October 1948, Page 7
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