Video footage has captured the moment two people armed with metal bars robbed a jewellery store on Auckland's North Shore in broad daylight.
The pair entered the Michael Hill store on Hurtsmere Road, Takapuna, around 4.20pm on Thursday, Inspector Stefan Sagar told 1News.
Sagar said they "smashed several glass cabinets" before stealing a "number of items" before fleeing in a Mazda Demio. The car was found abandoned a short distance away.
Inquiries into the incident are ongoing.
"Police treat these incidents seriously and we remain focused on investigating any incidents of violence," Sagar said.
The incident was filmed by several bystanders, with the store located at a busy intersection. The pair were wearing gloves, hoodies and face masks.
Takapuna Beach Business Association CEO Terence Harpur called the incident a "distressing robbery" committed by two "thugs" armed with tyre irons.
Harpur said he was glad no one was hurt in the "brazen" daylight robbery.
“I’m really happy that no one was injured in the incident and no bystanders actually got involved as well to try and stop them because they would have been injured," he told 1News.
“I think the incident could have been much worse if people had been hurt.”
He expressed concern for the well-being of the staff involved.
"You can imagine that coming through your front door. They’re upset and they’re going to need support to get through the next few days.”
Harpur called for greater police resources to combat a crime wave which has increased "dramatically over the last few months".
"Takapuna’s not immune to it. We’ve been lucky to see less crime than other areas but this is a very distressing crime and we need to get these offenders caught and charged properly and now.”
Business owner Adrian Turner told 1News his store, which is next door to Michael Hill, had been robbed just six weeks earlier.
"Pretty much the same time of day, same situation," he said.
Turner called the robbery of his store a "traumatic" and "violent experience" which impacts people's mental well-being.
"You're starting to play with people's mental health now; people are becoming worried; there's financial loss; there's insurance companies – it’s crazy."
He echoed Harpur's call for greater police resources.
"I think the Government needs to actually step up and back their police - let them do their job."
It comes amid a spate of ram-raids and attacks on businesses.
On Monday the famed Smith and Caughey's department store on Queen St had its front windows smashed in and items taken.
On Tuesday robbers used a vehicle to bust into a service station in Northpark in the city's east where they tried to steal cigarettes, while on Wednesday a Stihl store in Mt Albert was ram-raided.
At the end of May, the Government announced a $6m fund to help small business owners protect their shops.
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