17 May 2023

Police investigate bank robbery in Te Kuiti

1:28 pm on 17 May 2023
Police said the man and woman fled on a motorbike.

Police said the man and woman fled on a motorbike. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police

Police say they are following strong leads after a bank robbery in Te Kuiti, in King Country on Tuesday.

A man and a woman entered the ANZ bank in Rora Street just after midday yesterday and fled on a black, farm-style motorbike.

In a statement, Waikato West investigations manager Detective Senior Sergeant Ross Patterson said both were believed to have been armed, but no one was injured.

The police helicopter was used to assist in searching for the pair, but they were not found.

Patterson said some people may have seen the pair on the motorbike either before or after the robbery, and police wanted to hear from them.

"Aggravated robbery is a horrible crime that inflicts fear and trauma on innocent people and we understand that a lot of people will be concerned. Police are working incredibly hard to locate these offenders and get them off our streets," he said.

Police officers will today be attending a community meeting organised in response to yesterday's robbery.

Anyone with information can contact police on 105, online at 105.police.govt.nz, quoting file number 230516/7295 or information can be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers.