Police dive team called in to help with Percy cold case
The Police National Dive Squad have been called in to assist Rotorua Police to search for evidence in a waterway relating to a homicide 36 years ago.
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65-year-old Howard Percy in 1976 |
The search is apart of the investigation relating to the homicide of Howard Percy in Rotorua in 1976.
Police dive teams will search a waterway near Old Taupo Road and Sunset Road.
Howard Percy was 65-years-old when he got into a struggle with an armed man attempting to rob an ANZ banking facility on Guy Fawkes (5 November), 1976.
The bank on an industrial area on Old Taupo Road was a remote satellite facility only used between the hours of 11.30am and 2pm Monday to Friday.
Shortly after the bank closed on 5 November, a staff member heard a noise at the rear of the building and when he went to investigate he was confronted by a man wearing a balaclava and carrying a sawn-off rifle.
When Mr Percy saw the offender they became involved in a struggle and Mr Percy was shot twice.
The offender fled empty-handed and tragically attempts to save Mr Percy were unsuccessful and he died on the way to hospital.
It was the second time in four months that the banking facility had been robbed. Four months earlier on 16 July Mr Percy was one of three staff members tied up by a lone offender who stoleapproximately $13,000.
There was an extensive investigation into the two robberies and the homicide and a number of persons of interest were identified but no charges were ever laid.
At a press conference on Wednesday Ross Percy, son of Howard Percy told media his message to his dads killer is "Keep looking over your shoulder; the Police are coming to get you"