Grand Theft Norwich: police taser robbers as they rip cash machine from Hive wall

Chaos outside the Hive as police deploy tasers and dogs in cash machine heist gone wrong

| UPDATED

Chaos descended outside the Hive last night as police shot masked robbers with tasers and set dogs on them – after they attempted a heist.

The three thieves had attempted to rip the Hive’s cash machine from the wall, but were thwarted by taser-wielding cops and their rottweillers.

Witnesses described scenes of pandemonium – with one student forced to climb a tree after she was chased by the dogs.

Several students said they saw police use tasers during the anarchy, which took place at 8.25pm last night.

The gang, who were all wearing white boiler/dust suits and balaclavas, are believed to have attached one end of a rope to the cash machine and the other end to a car which was parked right outside the doors.

The crowbar lying next to the remains of the cash machine

Using a large crowbar for extra leverage, the men managed to free the cash machine, only for it to fly into the wall and break into several pieces. Having failed to successfully remove the machine in one piece, the gang abandoned their initial objective and fled the scene.

Where the cash machine used to be…

An eyewitness who wishes to remain anonymous stated: “At about twenty-five past eight I was coming out of the toilet and noticed these two guys in white dust suits and balaclavas came creeping into the Hive carrying a bit rope with a loop on the end.

“At first I thought it was some kind of stunt, but then one of them put the rope around the cash machine whilst the other stood in the doorway with a massive crowbar swearing at the security man.

“The next thing I knew there was an almighty bang and the cash machine bounced off a pillar, with part of it going out the door. It was all over in about twenty seconds.”

The scene in the Hive shortly after the robbery

It appears that the would-be robbers tried to flee the scene in their car but crashed into a police vehicle between the LCR and the Congregation Hall. Police swiftly gave chase with dogs and it is believed that the culprits have now been arrested.

Emeka Okorocha, third year medical student, told The Tab: “I originally thought someone had been hit by a car because I saw the guy on the floor, but he was being arrested. I went over to help then two guys in white jump suits started running.

“Police caught up with them about 200m later and tasered them up and two Rottweilers chased them and me!

“I ran by a tree and escaped and they followed the men wearing white and hunted them down.”

Police vehicles outside the Congregation Hall after the incident

First year student Danielle Cusick was also at the scene: “Me and my flatmates were walking up the path by Nelson Court and heard a massive bang. Police and a man in a balaclava were running past so my flatmate ran after them and saw the man get tasered.”

Another witness, who wished to remain unnamed, told The Tab: “I saw a man in a boiler suit running towards the lake – he tripped and kept running and was being chased by loads of policemen.”

The getaway car is believed to have crashed into a police vehicle

Both the police and campus security have understandably been unwilling to pass on any details at this time, but eyewitness reports have suggested that the authorities knew about this prior to it happening, explaining the efficiency of apprehending the suspects.

Last night the Union tweeted: “We can confirm an incident in Union House tonight. Police on the scene within a couple of minutes, four people in custody, no-one hurt.”

The Union announced today that “Three men, aged 33, 37 and 18 have been arrested and taken to Wymondham Police Investigation Centre for questioning.”

The Tab will keep its readers informed of any further developments – if you were on the scene or have any photos please email [email protected].