Police gather new leads in bank robbery

Jan 31 2010 Sunday Sun

IT was a violent crime that shocked onlookers and police.

And yesterday officers returned to Lloyds Bank in Blaydon, Gateshead, in a fresh bid to catch two robbers.

They hoped to jog people’s memories for vital clues a week to the day when two men escaped with a large sum of cash after spraying a cashier with a noxious liquid, thought to be ammonia.

They arrived at the bank in the town’s precinct to see if regulars saw something significant that could lead to the raiders capture.

So determined are bank bosses wanting to catch them, a reward of up to £25,000 has been offered by the British Bankers Award Association for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the robbers and recovery of the money.

And they say they have gleaned new information that will help them with their inquiries.

Sgt John Munro said: “Five officers went to the bank in Blaydon on Saturday to talk to people coming and going from work and to the bank.

“We spoke to a lot of people and gained information that we will be acting on.

“We will be following up these leads immediately. It was a very worthwhile exercise.”

Police have disclosed details of the frightening chain of events before the pair escaped on a motorcycle with the haul of cash. One robber – described as stocky and wearing a cream bomber jacket, dark trousers and a cream woollen hat – was outside the bank as customers waited for it to open.