A ‘‘brazen'' unarmed man who robbed the ANZ Mosgiel bank yesterday is believed to have been involved in seven previous robberies or robbery attempts in the Dunedin area during the past five months, and police believe he will strike again.
‘‘It is looking like . . . the same offender,'' Detective Sergeant Chris Henderson, of Dunedin, said.
In a pattern similar to other robberies, including four in one day on November 29 last year, a man walked into the ANZ Mosgiel branch in Gordon Rd at 1.45pm yesterday and waited in a line before approaching a female teller and demanding money.
At least several hundred dollars were stuffed into a plastic bag before the man left the bank, turning right into Gordon Rd and heading towards the motorway.
‘‘Every available police officer in the city went to this job,'' Det Sgt Henderson said.
Mosgiel police were first on the scene, but the man evaded capture. Police were unsure last night if he left in a waiting vehicle.
‘‘I am certain he would have had a vehicle close by . . . We can't rule out he doesn't have a driver.''
After a robbery on November 29, a man was seen getting into a white 1984 Toyota Corolla DX, and police were still appealing for information on the vehicle.
Police were also appealing for people to come forward if they saw anyone acting suspiciously near the bank yesterday, or fleeing the scene.
Twelve detectives were working on the case, named Operation Hoiho.
‘‘We are going to catch this man through good old-fashioned police work. It may take a while but we will get there,'' Det Sgt Henderson said.
There was a possibility it was the same offender who robbed, or attempted to rob, seven banks in the Dunedin area in the past
The offender yesterday was described as Caucasian, aged between 20 and 30, about 170cm tall and of thin to medium build. He was wearing a cap and a hooded sweatshirt, but, unlike other robberies, he was not wearing sunglasses.
‘‘He is obviously brazen. We believe he will continue until he is caught. Our job is to apprehend him and we are working towards that,'' Det Sgt Henderson said.
The man's ‘‘modus operandi'' was to ask tellers to fill up his bag before leaving the scene on foot.
While the man appeared to be unarmed, Det Sgt Henderson warned the public not to take matters into their own hands.
‘‘We obviously need the help of the public, to be vigilant and be observant around banks.''
Less than 100m away, a security guard was standing outside the Mosgiel BNZ which had been robbed last Friday. Police believe the same offender was involved.
Banks are defending their security arrangements, but are to increase security after yesterday's robbery. BNZ security strategy manager Owen Loeffellechner said ‘‘the days of bank robbers getting away with large sums have long gone''.
‘‘There is little reward in robbing a bank and sums stolen are very modest, because with electronic activity making up a substantial portion of our transactions, banks simply don't hold big amounts of cash any more.
‘‘All Dunedin branches are digitally networked with surveillance equipment which means images can be sent directly to the police and other banks within minutes of a robbery, increasing the chance of apprehension of the robber.''
