BOY BANK ROBBER

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2340, 11 October 1921, Page 1

BOY BANK ROBBER

ESCAPES WITH NOTES.

A boy, believed to be no more than 15 or 16 years of age, is^responsible for a recent bank robbery.

Entering the branch of the London County and Westminster Bank in High t'.oad, Stratkam, he asked a clerk to give him a form for a 51 per cent. Treasury bond. He appeared to be a little nervous, and mentioned the name of a local tradesman, well-known to the branch. The clerk turned round to reach one of the forms, and as he did so the lad snatched a bundle of 100 £1 Treasury notes which was lying on the counter and bolted into the street.

Chase was immediately given, but the thief was not in sight. Streatham Hill railway station is close to the bank premises, and a boy corresponding to the description of the one “wanted” was seen by a policeman on point duty to enter the booking-hall soon after the robbery. A ticket collector also states that at about the same time a boy handed to him the return half of a ticket from Gipsy Hill to be clipped. Unfortunately, by the time pursuit from the bank had reached the station, two trains had left, one in each direction: All trace of the boy was lost.