BANK HOLD-UP

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 16 July 1929, Page 8

BANK HOLD-UP

DARING ADELAIDE CRIME MANAGER LOCKED UP EXCITING CHASE OF CAR SYDNEY, sth July. Outstanding in Australian crime this week was the daring hold-up of Iho South Austral in ti State Savings Bank, North Adelaide, ill broad daylight on Wednesday, when between £SOO and (•600 was stolen. There, have been, however, several other daring thefts in vanmis of the States, and altogether tho week has been responsible lor sensational criminal doings. the North Adelaide, case was one which succeeded because of I he. absolute sangfroid of the man who carried it off. .. Soon after noon he drove up to tho front of the bank in O'Connell street, in a high-powered car, accompanied by a woman. Leaving her in the car, with the engine running all the tune, he entered the. banking chamber, and, while hundreds of persons passed the I rent door, held up' the manager and his assistant at revolver point, ordered them into the strongroom, locked Ihe-door hehind them, and made his haul at his leisure. There was between £SOO and C6OO in notes on the manager's desk at the. time, and a small sum in .silver in Hie cashier's till, lie took the lot, walked out of the bank, nodded to a policeman on duly a lew vards away, jumped into the car and drove off without arousing the slightest suspicion. It was some fifteen minutes later that a man entered the banL could find no one on duty, and then heard muffled knocking on'the door of the strongroom. He called the policeman, who listened at the door, and they could hear faint voices asking to be released. FIRED AT A CONSTABLE As soon as the manager and his assistant had told their story polieo telephones were busy, and all stations within 100 miles of Adelaide knew the facts within ten minutes. Two hours later a mounted constable saw tho car attempting to cross in tho punt over the Murray river at Wellington. When ho approached, the car backed and turned. The constable leapt on the running board, but, the driver produced a revolver and accelerated the car at the same time, so that, the constable fell off as the Oar moved. As ho lay there the bandit fired a shot at him, and tho policeman replied with a fusillade. None of the shots was effective, and the car disappeared in a cloud of dustily 5 p.m. the car was reported to have passe dthrough Palmer, a township on (he Murray River fiats. There the driver bought full petrol supplies and some food, and drove away with the Woman a few minutes before the police reached tho garage. His car was too fast for them, and they lost his tracks. But later still the, same- night tho police «at Swan Reach arrested the man and woman, after a struggle, and recovered £473 in notes. GREAT CROWD AT COURT On Thursday, such was the sensation created by the crime, a huge crowd awaited the .arrival of the man and woman for appearance before the City Court. True to type, the prisoner made another desperate bid for freedom as he was within. 100 yards of the court, forcing the door catch with his knee, and only being forced back after a long and determined struggle with his captors. Later, Aubrey Loftus George and Lorraine Delantly were charged with robbery under arms. Bail was refused the man, but the girl was released on £lO sureties. George is of small build, about 30 years of age. and is believed to have been, a chauffeur to Sir Archibald Weigall, a former South Australian Governor. Police believe that the motor car in which the couple were travelling was stolen from Prahran.