Police Car shot at following aggravated robbery in Edgecumbe

Following further investigations into the aggravated robbery of a Shell Service Station in Edgecumbe on Sunday , 27 January, Police can now confirm that a shot was fired from the offending vehicle at a pursuing Police car, with a bullet hitting the front of the car.

The officer driving the car was not hurt, however, Police are extremely concerned about the behaviour of the offenders.

"Shooting at a Police officer and car is an extremely serious offence and reflects the somewhat desperate nature of the three offenders," says the officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Sergeant Ross Everest.

Detective Sergeant Everest says Police are continuing to interview witnesses, and are urgently seeking the public's help to identify and locate the three offenders.

The aggravated robbery took place at the Shell Service Station, Riverslea Mall, Edgecumbe, at approximately 12.45pm on Sunday January 27, 2010.

Detective Sergeant Everest says two males entered the shop at the Service station, one of whom was armed. He pointed a firearm and two staff and customers in the shop, forcing them to lie on the floor.

He says the offenders took a quantity of cash before they took off in a stolen vehicle which was parked outside the Service Station shop. A third male was the driver in the car.

The stolen vehicle has then headed down College Road when a Police Officer in a marked patrol car saw the vehicle, turning around and chasing it. The officer was forced to pull back from the chase when one of the occupants of the stolen vehicle pointed a firearm and shot at the patrol car.

The stolen vehicle continued into Westbank Road where the vehicle was later found abandoned on the stop bank of the Rangitaiki River.

The vehicle involved is an early model silver/grey Nissan Pulsar 3 door hatchback. There was no front bumper or registration plate on the front and the registration plate on the back is TP7992.

"We are keen to hear from anyone who may have seen this vehicle or its occupants before or after the aggravated robbery, or during its travels down College and Westbank Road," says Detective Sergeant Everest.

He says any information relating to the offenders will be treated as confidential, and he urges anyone with information to come forward and contact the Whakatane Police Station on 07 3085255.