30 June 2006

Crikey crikens! there was an armed robbery in the bowling club next door half an hour ago - that kind of carry-on isn't supposed to happen in the 'Port! :-(

Four elderly women have been forced from their card table and into the Devonport Bowling Club toilets by a nail-gun shooting robber who then stole their handbags. Police say three of the women were preparing for a game of cards about 1.40pm on Friday when the man entered the clubrooms on Auckland's North Shore wearing a balaclava. "The three women thought the offender was making a delivery but quickly realised the man's intentions were more sinister when his manner became more threatening," a statement from police media adviser Kevin O'Loughlin said. "One of the group calmly invited the offender to sit down and join them in a game of cards." The man reacted with abusive language and fired the nail gun, which went into a leaner table near the women. Mr O'Loughlin said the man then forced the trio into the toilets - manhandling one of them. A fourth woman arrived and was also made to go into the toilets. The women were aged 88, 78, 76, and 72 and are now receiving help from Victim Support. They stayed in the toilets for 30 minutes until the offender left. They then contacted police but an area search failed to find the man and police are asking for anybody with information to call them on 09 488 6200. They are particularly interested in any sightings of the man and ask people in the Devonport area to check their properties for wallets, purses, bags, house keys or credit cards the alleged offender may have discarded. He is described as Maori or Polynesian, in his early to mid 20s, of slim build and about 180cm in height. He was carrying an orange or red gas operated nail gun.

Mate! You'd better make sure no one hears about your champagne bubbly collection and second-hand 19" flat panel that still goes quite well ;-) Or those robbers might leap over the wall with their weapons and grab those next time...

What collection!?!? it's all about rationing round here mate (well it will be in a week or so) :-(

Although often scary-looking, nail guns are pretty useless as ranged weapons since when you fire the nail it spins around in mid-air and doesn't impart much kinetic energy into the target. I used to play around with them a bit. On the other hand, if the perp pressed the muzzle against the victim and then fired it, it would conceivably result in nails fastened to organs. In dealing with an offender with such a weapon, you could use any fabric to protect yourself from the nails while kicking and/or applying the longstaff to the offender. If you did manage to subdue the offender, the nailgun would come in handy in that you could use it to staple the offender to the floor until the police arrives. Through the clothes of course, not the organs!--Milan 10:56, 2 Jul 2006 (NZST)

My half bro managed to shoot his boss through the hand from a few meters!

All modern nail and ramset guns have a switch on the foot that prevents them being discharged unless they are pressed against a flat surface. Are we to assume this was a sawn-off nail gun?

Hmmm, normally you can hold the latch back with the other hand to disable said security - don't try this at home folks! Although it does sound like Nad's half-bro was using a modified version. When firing rounds at gib walls from several meters, they rarely got stuck in the gib. I wouldn't be surprised if the half-bro's nailgun was semi-automatic and had a silencer too!--Milan 12:11, 2 Jul 2006 (NZST)