Aussie police on the hunt for cross-dressing bank robber

Wednesday, 10th December 2008

Written by Francesca Cookney

Sydney police are on the lookout for an armed robber who raided the North Strathfield branch of the Commonwealth bank early on Tuesday morning. The man, who was carrying a handgun, burst into the bank just as it was opening where he threatened and assaulted staff before tying them up and fleeing with the stolen cash on foot.

"After the offender escaped we don’t know which way he went," said Detective Inspector Hans Rupp, the phrase carrying all the more meaning in this situation given that the offender in question was dressed as a woman. Indeed, when terrified staff called the police at around 0850, they reported that "there was one main offender dressed as a woman – it was clearly a man".

The suspect is believed to have been wearing a blonde wig, black stockings, and a dress and local business owners who came forward as witnesses described a man they saw sitting at a nearby bus stop wearing just such an outfit. Whether he remained in this attire or got changed after the robbery is, as yet, unknown.

There were no injuries but the staff were treated for shock while a crime scene was set up and forensics called in: "The forensic armed robbery unit are conducting an examination of the crime scene including fingerprints and DNA swabs," said Inspector Rupp.

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