Three Lower Hutt Shops Robbed at Gunpoint - Arrest Made

A 19 year male will appear in the Lower Hutt District Court on Monday morning charged with the Aggravated Robberies of three local shops at gunpoint. He will likely face further associated firearms charges.

Shortly after 8.00 am this morning the Manager of the Avalon Bookshop and Lotto store, Taita Drive, was robbed by a disguised male brandishing a hand gun. The offender demanded cash, before making off with some cigarettes.

Within a few minutes the same male entered a Dairy on Tocker Street, Taita, where he also brandished the firearm and demanded cash and cigarettes before fleeing the area.

Within a few further minutes the same male robbed the Glen Road Dairy, Stokes Valley, of more cigarettes and cash. Again he was disguised and brandishing a handgun.

Detective Sergeant Mike Sears of the Lower Hutt CIB stated "We were dealing with 3 victims who had been subjected to very violent assaults. Despite this they were able to give us excellent information that led us to execute a Search Warrant at a Stokes Valley address with the assistance of the Wellington Armed Offenders Squad. As a result we have made an arrest and recovered a handgun. Enquiries are continuing to establish if others were involved.

We are aware this offender has entered a number of other shops in the Hutt Valley this morning, as early as 7.00 am.

We urge anyone to contact us immediately who saw a suspicious male wearing dark trousers and a red hooded sweatshirt and driving a white saloon in the vicinity of any shops in the Hutt Valley.

While obviously very traumatised and needing ongoing support the victims did not sustain any physical injuries. Thankfully with the assistance of members of the public we were able to quickly resolve this matter and bring some reassurance to the victims".

ENDS

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