BANDIT RAID

Hokitika Guardian, 2 June 1930, Page 7

BANDIT RAID

IN BERLIN BANK.

PISTOL SHOTS IN STREET. An exciting fight with motor bandits toon place receiuly outside a bank m tne north of Berlin. Its result was that though the thieves themselves got away, they left the greater pait ol tiiier booty scattered aoout the streets. Shortly before nine o’clock a woman clerk f 10111 a big bakery entered the bank, to pay in a sum of about £6OO. For a moment or two she was the only customer 111 the omee, and she laid the portfolio containing the money on the counter. Sue was, however, immediately followed by two men, one of whom held the door open while the other strode up to the counter, grabbed ...e portfolio, and tried to make off w.th it. The woman clutched at it, hut he bred a slmt which hit her in the arm, and she fell over backwards. A plucky clerk now vaulted over tne counter and tried to snatch the portfolio out of the thief’s hand. He failed in Ins attempt, but about £IOO in notes fell 011 to the floor and were afterwards picked up. The clerk followed the robbers into the street, where a private car was awaiting them with two accomplices. The man who had held open the door of the bank got i’nto the inside of the car, while his companion tried to gain the seat alongside the driver, Before he could do so, however, the clerk was on the footboard at his side and had again seized the portfolio, from which bundles of bank notes were now shaken out op the roadway, One of the men in tho oar shouted, “Shoot him down,” A second shot was fired, and though it missed its mark tho clerk, momentarily dazed by the discharge at such close quarters, released his hold and slipped off the footboard,

Before lie could return to the attack tne car was speeding away, closely followed by two pursuers. A customer of tho hank who happened to arrive on the scene 011 a motor-cycle was the first to take up the trail, hut he soon lost it in the busy morning traffic.