The Heist by Scott Bainbridge is yet another gripping true-crime account that plunges readers into the audacious 1984 armed robbery of an Armourguard truck outside Birkenhead’s Foodtown supermarket. With the meticulous research and vivid storytelling that Bainbridge has worked hard on as the Aotearoa true crime writer of this generation, he recounts the dramatic events of that fateful October night, when three armed men stole nearly $300,000 as part of a long planned heist targeting multiple supermarkets across Auckland.
The heist itself was a daring, high-stakes operation, executed with military precision. In a matter of minutes, the robbers overpowered the guards, took the cash, fled the scene, and ignited one of New Zealand’s most infamous manhunts. While the story itself offers a lot to go on for any writer, Bainbridge's skilful narrative takes readers through the police investigation, which spanned not just the Auckland area, but extended across the Tasman to Sydney. The plot thickens as the heist exposes ties to New Zealand's criminal underworld, involving several notorious figures linked to unsolved murders. Bainbridge expertly weaves together these layers of intrigue, creating a detailed portrait of the heist's key players, from the hardened criminals to the relentless detectives.
What sets The Heist apart is Bainbridge’s ability to access primary sources, including interviews with both robbers and detectives. These first-hand accounts breathe new life into the often fabled story, allowing readers to experience the tension, the planning, and even a deathbed confession from one of the heist crew. The gritty reality of 1980s crime in New Zealand is laid bare, with all the elements of a classic crime novel—guns, drugs, violence, and the complex legal manoeuvring that followed. It’s a New Zealand not often seen by the majority of those that live here.
As the fourth and final instalment in Bainbridge’s Auckland Criminal Noir series, The Heist is a fitting conclusion, bringing together fast-paced action with a thoughtful exploration of New Zealand’s criminal history. Like the other three examples, there is a quality to the narratives, exploring the underbelly of some of the most notorious moments in our nation’s criminal history. For true-crime enthusiasts and fans of noir, Bainbridge delivers an absorbing and well-researched account of a notorious chapter in New Zealand’s criminal past, with all the hallmarks of a classic heist tale.
Reviewer: Chris Reed
Bateman Books