This story was told to me years ago by a manager at Port Elizabeth branch, by the name of Harry Lovemore. I have tried to contact Harry so that I can compare notes with him and verify the details of the story, but so far I’ve not found him. It is HIS story, not mine; I’m just repeating what he told me. I’m sure when you have read it you’ll agree that Harry should get credit for his part in this amusing bit of bank history.
The episode happened in Walmer, Port Elizabeth branch when Miss Ramona Terblanche was manager and Vaughn Abernethy was the accountant. Athol Pederson was a sub accountant. Harry Lovemore was also at the branch but had the particular afternoon off. A man asked to speak to Miss Terblanche and was shown into her office. He was smartly dressed and introduced himself as a police detective, who was investigating the counterfeiting of bank notes. He produced an official looking form of identification and Ramona was happy that he was genuine. Walmer Police Station is less than 50 meters away from the branch and he inferred that he was working with them on the case. Ramona was taken aback when the “Detective” revealed that a number of the bogus notes had been found circulating in the Walmer area and that he wanted to determine if the branch had taken any in, in the normal course of business.
He locked the door and Vaughn was asked to join him and Ramona in the office where he explained he would have to examine all the higher denomination notes they had in treasury to see if there were counterfeit notes among them. I no longer recall the amount involved but the treasury custodians brought a substantial amount of money into the office for examination. He immediately took a bundle and started flicking through it occasionally flicking one out, indicating that it was bogus. Ramona and Vaughn had a good look at the notes and I suppose, had to admit that they were damn good forgeries!
After a while, the Detective paused in his examination of the notes and indicated that he was now in a position to reveal to them that absent Harry Lovemore, was the master brain behind the whole counterfeiting ring and that he was “laundering” the notes through the branch treasury. They were deeply shocked and dismayed that the unassuming and pleasant Harry was really an arch villain. Harry meanwhile was sitting waiting for Vaughn in a downtown pub, where they had arranged to meet once Vaughn had finished work, totally unaware of the storm clouds gathering around him.
Now the Detective announced that he wanted to lay a trap for the ring of forgers and put Harry in jail for a long spell. He said that he was going to need some “walky talky” radios but that he had unfortunately left them at Police headquarters in Louis le Grange Building. As he had details to sort out at the branch end of the trap, would Vaughn and Athol mind popping across to Headquarters quickly and pick up the radios. The hapless pair virtually ran to their car to comply with orders and left Ramona and the “policeman” safely locked in the office, with the whole pile of treasury.
As they approached the bottom of Target Kloof Vaughn suddenly sensed that something was wrong, did a u-turn and headed back to the branch at top speed. Imagine their chagrin when upon arriving to discover Ramona lying unconscious on the floor of her office while the “cop” and all the money was nowhere to be seen. The fellow had whipped out a chloroformed pad and knocked poor Ramona out with it and then just calmly packed the notes into his bag and walked out. It was later established that the ”policeman” was probably none other than the notorious bank robber, Andre Stander. Ramona was a very tough lady who smoked Texan cigarettes and she was furious that a mere man could pull the wool over her eyes so easily. I heard that the subject was utter taboo with her afterwards and that under no circumstances were you ever to raise it with her.
But that wasn’t the end of the story. Harry meanwhile, had tired of waiting for Vaughn and had phoned the branch but by then the real police had arrived and the switchboard was all jammed up and the staff were running around distracted and upset. Deciding to see what had happened to Vaughn, Harry returned to the branch to find the place in chaos. Seeking out Vaughn to find out what was afoot, he was astounded when Vaughn, his good buddy, turned on him angrily and snarled, “YOU! You’ve got a nerve coming back here after what you’ve been up to”. He was still under "Stander’s" spell and still believed the counterfeiting story and that Harry was the mastermind behind it all.
Can you picture how bewildered poor Harry must have been? It’s a pity we can’t get hold of Harry and get him to tell it all himself. It is one of the best stories I’ve ever heard told. I can only hope that someone will tell Harry about this and get him to correct wherever I’ve messed up his story. He is the only role player still with us and knows the story details. Ramona passed away some years ago as did Athol. Vaughn passed away relatively recently.
To Harry, YOU are a true raconteur and should also be telling stories the way I’ve been doing. The mike is yours pal!
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