Robber on the run after staff threatened
Police are appealing for sightings of an offender on the run following an aggravated robbery at a Matamata Gull service station early yesterday morning .
At 6:40am staff at the service station near the corner of Tower Rd and Mangawhero Rd were confronted by a single offender wielding a weapon, Hamilton District Command Centre staff said.
While investigations into the robbery were still underway police would not reveal details of the incident but told the Waikato Times, the offender was on the run and at least one person was injured.
Having only just opened for the day, the offender threatened staff members at the site before making off with stolen goods from the store and was “believed to have left on foot” police said.
Scene investigations were being done, with police speaking to staff at the service station and nearby residents, while it is understood CCTV footage was also being sought.
A number of police and detective cars were parked on scene while a taped cordon around the entrance to the store blocked access inside where inside staff were seen tidying shelves.
A resident living in a commercial turned residential building nearby who wanted to remain anonymous said since ram-raids had picked up in the area there had been a number of incidents at the service station, she said.
Other residents said a lot of the crime incidents in the area were sparked by the hiked prices of cigarettes
“For a while there was like peak ramraids everywhere,” the resident said.
“My mother in-law lives next door and she text me really early about it, I was going to check our cameras just in case.”
Police were supporting staff at the site with at least one believed to have sustained injuries.
“Police seek any information and support from the public regarding people or suspicious vehicles to contact 105 and quote the police file number P058215232.”