Shoppers Chase Down Bank Robber

Sydney Morning Herald

Tuesday December 30, 2008

Arjun Ramachandran with AAP

OUTRAGED shoppers chased and tackled a bank robber who had held a female staff member hostage and stole a bag of cash in Sydney's west yesterday, holding him until police arrived.

The thief robbed the Commonwealth Bank branch in the Plumpton Marketplace shopping centre about 10.50am, and came out of the bank holding a woman when the pursuit began, a witness, Nora Tivitian, said.

"All these people near the bank were screaming and someone told me to call the police," said Ms Tivitian, who works at nearby Blockbuster Video.

"[The thief] ran about 10 metres with the hostage and then let her go, and about 10 or 15 [mostly male] bystanders starting running after him."

She said the man ran about 30 metres before one of his chasers caught up with him and tackled him to the ground.

Police, on patrol nearby, arrived a short time later and took the man, 20, to Mount Druitt police station for questioning.

Earlier, the man had entered the bank telling staff he was armed, and held a female staff member hostage inside the bank before leaving holding a different woman, police said.

He had also tried to stop a passing car before he was chased.

Ms Tivitian said the thief wore a balaclava, and she believed he was carrying a torch which he pretended was a weapon.

He took a sum of money, which was recovered by police, and staff were later counselled.

Police said the man could have picked an easier suburb for a hold-up.

"Out here, these people work hard for their money and they don't like seeing people take it and threaten staff," Inspector Wayne McMahon said.