Bank robber escapes with £1,600 – then throws it all away

Police are appealing to the better nature of Winchester residents after a thief with idiosyncratic views on the redistribution of wealth robbed a bank of £1,600 only to scatter the money along a nearby street moments later. Detectives are asking anyone who picked up money yesterday morning after the robbery at Barclays Bank in Jewry Street to hand it in as evidence. It is thought that only £300 has been recovered.

Police said that the robbery took place at 10.20am when a man went into the bank and threatened staff. Detective Inspector Andy Symes of Hampshire police added: "He claimed he was armed, but a subsequent search after arrest proved that he had no weapon on him.



"The man left the bank and a short time later threw the money into the street for reasons we have yet to establish." Symes appealed to anyone who had found money in Jewry Street or the surrounding roads to take it to their nearest police station. "We would like to thank the members of the public who have already come forward and handed in money they have found," he said.

"This was understandably upsetting for the people in the bank at the time, but this kind of incident is thankfully very rare." A 42-year-old man from Southampton has been arrested and is being questioned about the robbery.