NEWS

The vehicle was found just after midday yesterday in Highland Park and Detective Sergeant Sharon Price is very pleased.

“It’s great; I really want to say a big thanks to the public, the vehicle is now undergoing forensic investigation, so we’re really pleased,” says Detective Price.

Police had put out a request to the public for sightings of a Nissan Regulus four-wheel drive, registration EJH929.

The 4WD was used as a getaway vehicle by two armed males after the ASB Bank Highland Park was held up at 4.10pm on Friday.

Detective Price and a team of detectives classify the case as one of their top priorities.

“We have a lot going on in Manukau at the moment.”

Talking about the robbers she commented: “All you could see was their eyes, so it would be near impossible for the public to recognise them.”

Police say the pair were armed with a shotgun and that no one was harmed during the robbery.

“An undisclosed amount of money” was stolen and the offenders left in the stolen Nissan Regulus travelling toward Aviemore Drive. “They presented a shotgun at the teller and stole a customer’s handbag from a counter top on their way out,” says Ms Price.

• Meanwhile, the police were successful in the pursuit of another stolen vehicle about the time of the ASB Highland Park robbery.

Howick Sergeant Keith Olsen says at the time he thought it was the vehicle used for the bank job.

“A very short time after the robbery there was a pursuit of another stolen vehicle and they were apprehended,” says Mr Olsen.

• It was a busy weekend for police in the Pakuranga/Howick/Botany area with two more bag snatching incidents.

“The whole weekend was quite busy. On Friday afternoon on Ti Rakau Drive, another bag was snatched using a stolen car,” says Mr Olsen.

He says officers are still investigating the case, as the thieves swapped the registration plates with another car.

In a different, unusual incident, local police are seeking the victim of a bag snatch early on Sunday morning at Botany Town Centre near Number One Shoe Warehouse.

“We got a call from a passer-by, but the victim has yet to come forward.”

The victim is described as an Asian female.

“Police say she was dragged from her vehicle as two male thieves reached into the passenger car door and tried to take her purse. She was still holding onto it and was dragged out of the car,” says Mr Olsen.

He’s also calling on anyone who knows the woman to report in to Howick Police Station.

Mr Olsen warns shoppers to take precautions with their personal belongings and, where possible, to not put bags on the front seat of vehicles.

“The front passenger seat is the most common spot for a thief to lift bags. We urge shoppers to place belongings either in the boot, on the floor behind the driver, or even underneath the seats.”