‘Someone may get seriously hurt’ as third robbery hits store
Police are reminding Christchurch business owners to be vigilant after a 24/7 store was robbed for the third time in just over a month.
A police spokeswoman said three masked offenders burst into the Night ’n Day on Ferry Rd, about 4.20am Monday. ‘‘All three of them had weapons. They got away with some cash and some cigarettes.’’
The spokeswoman said the staff member was ‘‘shocked but not injured’’.
The offenders were described as wearing masks or balaclavas. CCTV footage showed one was wearing a red hoodie, another a black one.
At 5am on October 1, three people stormed the shop, armed with a machete and a hammer, and stole cigarettes and cash. Police were continuing to investigate the incident.
On September 17, three people also entered the shop and pointed a gun at staff. They stole cigarettes and about $500, and were later arrested.
Detective Sergeant Chris Power said police were ‘‘concerned’’ about the recent spate of robberies.
‘‘All these offenders are armed. We are seeing incidents of willingness to use violence even on shopkeepers who aren’t resisting. They are fully co-operative and they are still getting assaulted.
‘‘Police are concerned about the frequency of it . . . Someone’s likely to get seriously injured somewhere along the way.’’
Each offence carries a strike warning, meaning that after a second strike an offender faces a mandatory two-thirds of the penalty for aggravated robbery – 14 years.
‘‘By the time you do your third one, it’s a mandatory 14 years. Are these offences worth strike warnings and the severe penalties that accrue?’’
Power said retailers were looking at ways to restrict the accessibility of cigarettes, including a business in Auckland that had set up a vending machine which delivers one pack of cigarettes at a time.
‘‘We really want the public and business owners being vigilant and restricting stock and cash reserves where possible.’’
Store manager Jaskaran Singh said Ferry Rd had become a hotspot for aggravated robberies.
The 24-hour bakery on Ferry Rd was robbed on August 9 and the three offenders threatened staff with a rifle, a hammer and a bat. A teenager was later arrested.
Night ’n Day director Andrew Lane said after the second robbery such offending was of a ‘‘great concern’’ but he was ‘‘very comfortable with the level of security in our stores’’.
‘‘There are high-quality CCTV systems in these stores and further security measures are in place.’’
He said those measures were ‘‘confidential’’, but had helped police in the arrest of past thieves.
Anyone with information can contact Christchurch police on 03 363 7400 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.