Armed Robbery At Wainuiomata Dairy

New Zealand Police Wellington News Release

5 September 2008

Lower Hutt CIB is appealing for help in finding a man armed with what appears to be a Glock pistol who held up a dairy in Wainuiomata this afternoon.

Detective Sergeant Scott Cooper said the offender, a light skinned male Maori or Polynesian, went to the dairy on the corner of Meremere Street and Parkway, Wainuiomata shortly after midday and bought an item.

He returned to the shop at 12.40pm, asked for a phone card but then presented the pistol to the Indian dairy owner and demanded the contents of the till.

"The dairy owner did the right thing in complying with the demands and the robber fled on foot, running up Parkway towards Wainuiomata Road," Detective Sergeant Cooper said.

He said the dairy owner, who had been alone in the shop, was shaken but unhurt.

Police are appealing for sightings of the gunman, or information from people who know who he is.

The offender is thought to be in his 20s, was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, a black and white checked scarf covering the lower part of his face and dark coloured jeans. He was 5ft 10in to 6ft tall, of medium build, and carried a grey or light coloured backpack.

"The offender must have been hanging around the dairy area for at least 30 minutes because he made one genuine purchase before returning to commit the robbery," Detective Sergeant Cooper said. "He ran off towards Wainuiomata Road immediately after the robbery."

If you recognise the man or have information which can help, please call Lower Hutt Police on 04 560 2600 and ask for the CIB duty squad.

ENDS

© Scoop Media