Overnight robbery of Ngaruawahia service station

Police investigating the aggravated robbery of a service station in Ngaruawahia overnight are confident of a timely arrest and are asking the offenders to give themselves up before any more harm is done.

Detective Raymond Sunkel of the Huntly CIB said a female store attendant at the Shell Ngaruawahia Garage was taken to Waikato Hospital to be checked following a traumatic ordeal which began about 9.20pm.

"The woman has seen two young men with balaclavas on walk across the forecourt and tried to lock the sliding doors into the store but was unable to, she has then retreated into a corner behind the counter.

"The offender shown in the photo wearing a blue top has then struck the woman on her left arm with a baton of some description before mounting the counter and emptying the contents of the till into a black backpack before stealing some tobacco."

Mr Sunkel said while this was going on a second offender has threatened the woman with a large knife before the pair ran off.

"As could be expected of anyone confronted by this type of ordeal the victim was severely shaken up and taken to Waikato Hospital to be checked and has since been referred to Victim Support,"

"We are very concerned about the risk these two men, described as Maori males aged between 16 and their early twenties, pose to the public and we ask that any one with information on their identities contacts Police immediately."

Due to the men carrying out the robbery close to the garage's closing time Police suspect the pair are locals.

"We're confident with the support we've had already from the local community that we'll be able to make a quick arrest and in light of this we're asking those involved to surrender themselves to Police to minimise any further risk," said Mr Sunkel.

Anyone with any information on last night's events is asked to contact the Hamilton Central Police Station on 07 858 6200.

New Zealand Police Waikato News Release
1:33pm 12 April 2009