A west Auckland dairy owner has had a knife pulled on him during a brazen daylight robbery, the latest in a string of violent crimes targeting dairies across the city.
Four youths in dark hoodies and pants stormed the Patel Superette, in Ranui, early on Saturday afternoon, two raiding the cigarette cabinet while one took off with the entire cash register.
Dairy owner Jitu Patel was trapped behind the bread rack and the refrigerator during the robbery, with one offender trying to attack him with a knife.
His wife, who was behind the counter at the time, tried to push the youths out of the store before running away herself to avoid injury.
Both managed to escape unharmed, but Jitu's friend, Sunil Patel, told Newshub they didn't know if they were going to get hurt.
"I think they tried to scare [Jitu] but I don't know, we don't know what they were doing with the knife," he said.
In CCTV footage supplied to Newshub, one youth can be seen struggling with the cash register before just picking the whole thing up and taking off.
It's the first time in 12 years the store has been robbed - but it's the latest in a string of violent robberies targeting dairies across Auckland.
Four men, aged between 15 and 20, were arrested after an aggravated robbery in Mangere on Tuesday which saw one person hold a knife to the shopkeeper's throat while stealing cigarettes.
Police are investigating the Patel Superette attack.
Newshub.
