A man has been arrested after the interior of a bank at Whangamata was attacked with an axe.
Police were called to the BNZ branch about 10am on Monday. There were no customers in the bank at the time and the four staff managed to get out unhurt.
Eyewitness Mike Wright says windows were smashed, the counter broken and chairs thrown around.
Police say all four staff members managed to escape before armed police officers arrived and apprehended the man.
They say a member of the public secured the front doors of the bank to stop him from fleeing.
Police do not believe the man, who lives locally, intended to rob the bank but are still trying to establish his motive.
