ARMED BANDITS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 August 1930, Page 2

ARMED BANDITS

SYDNEY BUS HOLD-UP. PASSENGERS TERRIFIED. SYDNEY, Aug. , 21. “More like Chicago every day,” said the people of Sydney when they read on Monday morning, the account of tho hold-up of a. 'bus in the centre of a busy suburb by two armed and masked men. The bus robbery followed closely on several armed hold-up-in different partes of the city, and the frequency- of these acts have lei: an uncomfortable feeling in the minds of many citizens. The bus was crowded at the time of the robbery, a large number of passengers standing in the centre aisle. Although the men entered the bus while it was in motion, there war nothing to distinguish them from ordinary passengers until they simultaneously produced revolvers. One entered at the front, and poking a revolver at the driver he commanded, “Stop this car.” The driver applied the brakes immediately and pulled the bus into the curb. “Dim your lights,” was the next order. This, too, was obeyed with commendable promptitude. In the meantime the other man, on the back 9tep, had ordered the conductor to hand over his bag. The hag was quickly grabbed, and both men , made off at a great speed. Pandemonium was created among the pasbengprs when the. revolvers were produced. “Don’t shoot,” screamed one woman. “For God’s sake don’t let him shoot.” A woman in the back seat immediately collapsed, and another woman had a fit. Several men rose in their seats, but ;vs soon as a revolver was pointed their way they quickly resumed their places. It seems that the crowded nature of the aisle prevented any concerted action. As soon as one man signalled to his companion that lie had the bag. both men left the bus, and as the whole affair was over in a few seconds there was little time for action on the part of anyone.

• The police do not attach much significance to the report that the robbers spoke with a foreign accent. They say that if the men had actually been foreigners they would not have spoken at all. As a matter of fact tho ,clues are po slender that the police are up against a blank wall in endeavouring to trace the perpetrators of one of the most daring of crime"! Now the question arises: Should bus conductors be armed? This is bound to cause a great deal of controversy. Even the bus proprietors are divided on it, and the manager of the largest bus company has decided against the proposal. “In collaboration with the police,” he says, “we have devised a plan that will provide adequate measure of protection,” The officials of other companies have already applied for permission to arm their drivers and conductors, and the t police stand is that eaoh ease must be treated on its merits and decided by a Magistrate in the ordinary way,