14-year old girl charged with robbery
A 14-year-old girl is the first to be charged in connection to an armed robbery of a Timaru supermarket on Friday.
Morgans Road Food Market owner Ankit Patel was counting stock in his store when four people rushed in about 8.25am and stole cash and cigarettes.
Patel said all four had their faces covered with handkerchiefs and were wearing hoodies and caps.
On Sunday, a police spokeswoman said a 14-year-girl had been charged with aggravated robbery, and would appear in the Christchurch Youth Court on Tuesday.
The spokeswoman said inquiries into the robbery, and attempts to locate the remaining three offenders, were ongoing.
Speaking to Stuff on Sunday, Patel said he had been well supported following the robbery.
‘‘I can relax a bit more now,’’ Ankit Patel
Patel, who bought the business in June 2017 and moved his wife and two young daughters from Auckland to Timaru for the new opportunity, said his family were in India on holiday and had he was yet to tell them about what had happened.
He said police called him on Saturday to notify him of the arrest. ‘‘I can relax a bit more now,’’ he said.
Patel said none of his staff had been badly affected by the incident, in which no-one was injured.
The four offenders arrived at the supermarket in a stolen yellow Mazda Atenza – registration DFL694 – about 8.25am on Friday, police said.
The vehicle was reported stolen from Hopkins St, Timaru, about 1.30pm on Friday.
Police were unable to say on Sunday whether or not the stolen car had been located.
Any information about the robbery or any sightings of the stolen car should be reported to police, acting Senior Sergeant Sam Winchester, of Timaru, said.