DARING ATTEMPT AT ROBBERY

Southland Times, 16 October 1942, Page 4

DARING ATTEMPT AT ROBBERY

CAR WITH WORKERS’ PAY HELD UP (P.A.) AUCKLAND, October 15. A daring attempt at daylight robbery took place at Otahuhu this morning when two young men tried to steal the fortnightly pay-roll which was being carried by car to the railway workshops. 1116 incident took place near the workshops. Seven employees of the railway workshops were returning from the Bank of New Zealand in Otahuhu, where they had collected the pay money. Their vehicle was going at a very slow speed when another car was seen standing at a corner. A young man who was standing on the road nearby jumped on to the running board of the workshops car and asked the driver to go along Favona road. Thinking there had been an accident and that assistance was needed, the driver complied. The young man remained on the running board. A short distance along the road he asked the workshops driver for the key of his car. This was refused. The would-be robber then lifted the bonnet of the car and immobilized the vehicle by pulling the wires off the spark plugs. He then moved round to the passenger’s side, produced a heavy spanner from his pocket and pulled the door open. He endeavoured to pull out one of the bags of money. This attempt was frustrated by one of the workshops employees, who maintained a tight grip on the bag. Endeavouring to break the man’s grip the young bandit struck him heavily several times on the arm with the spanner. The other vehicle was standing by all the time. The driver of it held a pea rifle which was pointed towards the railway employees. At this stage some lorries came along and the young man took fright. He ran back to the other vehicle, which made off at a high speed towards Onehunga. The police were notified and several cars with constables and detectives set out in search of the men. They have not yet been located.