Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Police have made arrests and recovered stolen goods following an aggravated robbery in Onehunga on Tuesday afternoon.
Last night, Police located a vehicle of interest in the offending and following a pursuit arrested both occupants.
Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Armstrong, from Auckland City CIB, says enquiries had been underway into the aggravated robbery at a jewellery store on Onehunga Mall just after 4pm.
A large amount of jewellery was stolen as a result. After 10pm, a vehicle that fled the scene was sighted in Papakura.
“Staff deployed into the area, locating the vehicle travelling through Manurewa and Eagle was soon providing observations from overhead,” Detective Senior Sergeant Armstrong says.
“Police attempted to stop this vehicle on Roscommon Road, but it drove away at speed and was not pursued.”
A minor collision occurred with a member of the public’s vehicle, but occupants avoided injury.
Spikes were successfully deployed as the vehicle entered the South-Western Motorway and headed north.
“Eagle has continued to observe the vehicle’s erratic driving on the motorway, with it eventually returning south and exiting at Massey Road,” Detective Senior Sergeant Armstrong says.
The vehicle travelled towards Mt Wellington Highway and spikes were again successfully deployed.
Detective Senior Sergeant Armstrong says a pursuit was initiated before the vehicle travelled on the South-Eastern Highway towards Pakuranga.
“Throughout this incident, the vehicle has been driven extremely erratically and fortunately no members of the public suffered any harm.”
The pursuit came to an end after the vehicle collided with barriers at the intersection of Ti Rakau Drive and Reeves Road.
“These offenders approached another member of the public’s vehicle; however, our staff quickly got the pair, aged 15 and 17, into custody.
“We have also recovered a large amount of jewellery in the vehicle.”
Detective Senior Sergeant Armstrong says charges have been since been laid.
The 17-year-old male has been charged with aggravated robbery, dangerous driving, failing to stop and two counts of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.
He has also been charged in connection with a violent attempted robbery at a Mt Albert sports bar on 22 June.
“Those charges include four counts of aggravated wounding, assault with intent to rob, committing a burglary with a weapon and assault,” Detective Senior Sergeant Armstrong says.
He is expected in the Auckland Youth Court today, with his bail to be opposed.
The 15-year-old has also been arrested and charged with aggravated robbery and two counts of unlawfully taking of a motor vehicle. He is also due to appear in the Auckland Youth Court this morning.
“Police are appalled at the level of violence used in these sorts of incidents,” Detective Senior Sergeant Armstrong says.
“We will continue to actively investigate this sort of offending which causes a high level of harm to the business owners as well as the wider community.”
ENDS.
Jarred Williamson/NZ Police
