New Zealand bank manager robbed own bank
Friday, October 13, 2006
Mark Andrew Scott, 39-years-old, and his partner, Vanessa Ada Scott, 27-years-old, both pleaded guilty near the end of the hearing to a charge of aggravated robbery and two charges of kidnapping after June 20 when they tried to rob the bank Mark Scott had been managing for a year.
Mark Scott, former US marine and veteran of the Gulf War, was the manager of the BNZ (Bank of New Zealand) Wellsford bank in Auckland.
During the pre-trial hearing, or more correctly depositions hearing, at North Shore, Auckland's district court, Mark Scott asked about the NYC plane crash, and then criticizing the in-efficiency of the court system and then alleged that police stole from him. The police had in fact taken a silver pin from his jacket which was used as evidence.
The couple could face a maximum of fourteen years in jail.
When Mark Scott went to work early he left the side door open so his partner and two other men, Richard Simon Cowell and Lewis Blackwood-Manukau, could gain entrance into the bank. During the robbery all female employees were tied up. Mark Scott, however, was not bound until he gave NZ$136,000 in cash to the robbers.
Deborah Poa, employee for BNZ, tried to escape but was attacked in the face but she did manage to gain attention of a passerby who contacted the police. She told the court that she did not trust Mark Scott. "[There was] just something about him. One minute he would be all calm ... the next, all aggressive."
The two men who helped with the robbery were found outside the bank and the couple were formally charged that day by police.
To date $2,860 is yet to be recovered and $370 had already been used on groceries. The couple had some of the money found at their home by police.
After being calm all morning the couple returned to the court upset and then started shouting and swearing at the justices of the peace when they learned that the hearing would adjourn part heard and postponed until December. "Two months here, two months there ... all that bull ... you know?" Mark Scott said.
On Tuesday the robbers and the Scotts will appear in court.
Sources
- David Eames. "Manager admits robbing own bank" — New Zealand Herald, October 13, 2006
- "NZ banker admits robbing own bank" — Manilia Bulletin, October 12, 2006
This page has been archived by an administrator, and sighted by a trusted user. It is no longer publicly editable.
Got a correction? Add the template {{editprotected}} to the talk page along with your corrections, and it will be brought to the attention of the administrators. Please note that the listed sources may no longer be available online. The sighting of this article does not guarantee accuracy - it has been sighted for technical reasons. |