Gunmen flee with cash after robbing cash delivery van at McDonald’s outlet in Sunbury

ARMED bandits may have escaped with hundreds of thousands of dollars during a brazen and well-planned heist of a McDonald’s cash delivery van.

The scene at the Sunbury McDonald's restaurant after three armed bandits stole several bags of cash from a delivery van. Picture: Samantha Landy

The cash delivery van robbed at gunpoint by three bandits this morning had picked up money from several McDonald’s stores, and potentially contained hundreds of thousands of dollars when it was cleaned out.

The gunmen remain on the loose after carrying out the early-morning heist in the carpark of Sunbury McDonald’s on Horne St.

Detectives have described the 6am heist as “well-planned” and “brazen”.

Armed Crimes detective Sergeant Warren Chapman could not say exactly how much money was stolen from the white panel van, but confirmed the amount was “certainly” in the thousands and potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars.

He said at least five cash bags were taken.

The stolen money was the earnings of several McDonald’s stores in the area, as the courier driving had been working to collect cash from a number of fast food restaurants since 3am.

It is understood van’s driver - a cash courier aged in his mid 20s - arrived at Sunbury store about 6am and went inside to drop off an amount of money and collect the store’s takings for the weekend.

He left the store and as he walked towards his van parked in the restaurant’s car park, he was approached by two men on a black motorbike both wearing helmets that obscured their faces.

The men then pointed what police believe was a small handgun and a long-armed rifle at the victim and threatened him.

At the same time, a car understood to be a late-model black Commodore also pulled up at the store.

“Our victim has then fled the area. The offenders have stolen a large sum of cash from the cash courier vehicle and then fled the scene,” Sgt Chapman said.

Sgt Chapman said the courier had already unlocked the van before the thieves approached him, so they were simply able to open it and take its contents.

Sgt Chapman said about six people - both customers and young staff members - had been in the McDonald’s at the time of the armed robbery and had been interviewed by police.

The victim had also been questioned and was assisting police with inquiries.

“I understand he’s been in the security industry for some time and certainly appears to have the relevant experience for this role,” Sgt Chapman said, adding he had been “shaken” by the ordeal.

He could not say whether the van visited the store at a regular time each week or whether it was common practice for a panel van of this nature and just one courier to carry out such a cash exchange.

“Part of our investigations will be to look at the practices of the courier vehicle that has arrived here this morning and the cash collecting procedures that have been used,” he said.

“One of our normal avenues of inquiry will be to look at whether our victim was followed in the lead-up to this event.

“There is no evidence at this point in time to link this to any other reports of armed robbery or incidents in this particular area, but certainly we’ll keep an open mind.”

Sgt Chapman said evidence also suggested the heist was not linked to outlaw motorcycle gangs or organised crime.

“(This was) certainly brazen. It appears to be well-planned given the number of offenders involved and also the use of both the motorcycle and the motor vehicle,” he said.

The robbers had fled down the Calder Freeway and were last seen in the vicinity of the Bulla-Diggers Rest Rd entrance on to the freeway.

Earlier reports had suggested the McDonald’s store had also been robbed by the trio, but police later confirmed this was not the case.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via crimestoppersvic.com.au.

Source : Herald Sun    Samantha Landy   December 1st 2014