26 September 2007
Hamilton Police are urgently seeking a man and a woman in connection with two aggravated robberies in the city this week, one of a bank the other of a post office.
The alleged offenders are Jason Michael BOOTH, 19, and Toni Alyssa Grainger, 17. Both are Caucasian, residing in Hamilton.
In the latest incident a man entered the NZ Post/ Kiwi Bank at the Base shopping centre, Te Rapa and presented tellers with a note demanding cash about 3.15pm.
The note stated a bomb had been placed outside by the door and would be detonated if he wasn't given money.
The man fled the scene with an undisclosed sum of cash, no bomb was located at the scene.
Yesterday's robbery follows on from another at the ANZ Bank on Te Rapa Rd on Monday, where a woman entered the bank with a suspicious package and demanded money.
The woman fled the bank to a waiting car which sped off driven by a male.
A Defence Force Bomb Disposal Unit was called in and on opening the package via non-incendiary methods an improvised explosive device was found.
Detective Sergeant Nigel Keall said inquiries are underway to determine what level of risk was posed by the device to the people and property present.
"Offences of this type are inherently violent however we have grave concerns in this case. Given the nature of the device and huge stress involved there is the potential for things to go badly wrong."
Overnight an off white Nissan Skyline believed to have been used in Monday's robbery was recovered at a Hamilton address.
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