Police are astounded at the brazen robbery at gunpoint this afternoon of a security van in the middle of a busy central city Hamilton street.
And police are counting on the public to help find the robber, who later tried to set the getaway car on fire in a residential garage.
The robbery happened just after 4pm today as a Rapid security van was picking up bags of cash and cheques from the Hamilton City Council offices on Anglesea St.
The van had backed up to the side of the council building, next to the former Warehouse building. As the van driver was loading the van with bags of cash, a car pulled up almost in front of the van and a man demanded the driver give him the bags. The robber carried a sawn-off firearm, which police believe is a shotgun.
The van driver handed over some of the bags and the man walked back to the car and drove south down Anglesea St. Police believe he took a route along Collingwood St, up onto Ruakiwi Rd and then turned left into Queens Ave.
The getaway car was found soon after the robbery parked in a garage on a residential property in Queens Ave. The property owners called the Fire Service when they noticed smoke coming from the garage. Firemen discovered a fire had been lit on the front passenger seat.
The van driver was not hurt, but was badly shaken. The robber escaped with an undisclosed amount of money, but some of it was the proceeds of city parking meter revenue.
Detective Constable Brian Williamson said police were keen to hear of sightings of the car or the robber either leading up to the robbery, during it or afterwards.
"This robbery occurred on a busy city street at one of the busiest times of the day. There was a lot of traffic and pedestrians in the area and we are sure someone would have seen the robber at some stage either at the robbery or shortly after.
"We need to speak to anyone who can provide us with information about this man and the car involved," Mr Williamson said.
The car used in the robbery was a silver Mitsubishi Diamante, registration BJE928, which was stolen from the eastern end of Rostrevor St in the city earlier today. It was last seen by the owner about 1pm.
The robber is described as a male Maori or Polynesian, about 1.7m tall, of thick build. He was wearing a navy jacket with the hood pulled up and dark trousers. The jacket possibly had an emblem on the front of it.
Mr Williamson said police particularly wanted to hear from people who had seen the silver car before the robbery took place.
"There may have been some time between the car being stolen and the robbery and it would be helpful for us to hear of any sightings that are connected with that."