Robbery ‘a sign from God’, says bystander
A West Auckland liquor store was robbed at knife point less than two hours after a south Auckland bar was robbed on Monday evening.
Police confirmed a man entered the West Liquor store on Royal Rd, Massey, with a knife about 8.15pm.
Local mum Tracey Murrell was standing at the counter with two bottles of wine as it happened and said the offender wore ‘‘a ghost mask, gloves, and a red hoodie’’.
‘‘It was just surreal. I thought it was a joke at first,’’ she said.
‘‘He demanded cash from the young guy at the till, who thrust some at him. The robber stuffed it into his bag then walked out with a bottle of Jim Beam.’’
Murrell chased the robber down the store’s steps and out onto the road.
She said she wasn’t able to buy her wine afterwards, as the police turned up and the store closed.
‘‘I guess it’s a sign from God I’m not supposed to drink this Christmas,’’ she said.
A police spokesman said inquiries were ongoing.
At the first robbery, two robbers fled a south Auckland bar with cash at 6.50pm.
A police spokeswoman said the aggravated robbery took place at Takanini’s Blacksmith Eatery and Bar, on Walters Rd.
‘‘There were no injuries reported and the offenders left the scene in a vehicle,’’ she said.
Local man Dylan Panton was at the restaurant with his two sons, aged 6 and 9, and said the robbers were men wearing T-shirts wrapped around their faces ‘‘to do the job of balaclavas’’.
The 29-year-old said staff and patrons at the Blacksmith – which was three quarters full – remained ‘‘extremely calm’’ throughout the ordeal.
‘‘I heard this loud crash from the bar, it was the robbers smashing something – that’s how I knew something was happening,’’ he said.
‘‘I spoke to my sons, told them to stay put and ran to one of the doors to stop people entering. When I looked at the bar, these two guys were raiding the till.
‘‘The manager just kept calm and was totally compliant. I think everyone took their lead from her – it was very impressive. No-one freaked out or screamed.’’
A police spokeswoman said officers were making inquiries.