Police are investigating after two "heavily disguised" males carried out aggravated burglaries of two Palmerston North jewellery stores on Wednesday afternoon.
The incidents occurred about 5.30pm.
Police said the males first went into a jewellery store in The Plaza "with a clear intention to steal a quantity of jewellery".
However, police say the items they were looking for had already been secured, so they ran out the main entrance onto Church St.
The pair then drove a short distance around The Square and entered another jewellery store. There they smashed glass cabinets, stealing an unknown number of watches.
Police said the thieves spent about 40 seconds inside the shop before fleeing at speed in their dark-coloured Hyundai in the direction of Broadway Ave.
"This type of offending is clearly disturbing due to the potential risk for the nearby public and shop staff," Detective Sergeant Dave Thompson said.
Thompson said investigators would like to hear from anyone who was in the Plaza and The Square at the time and saw the two events.
"We believe that some of them may have recorded the events on their phone and we are keen to view this footage," he said.
"Anyone that has seen a dark-coloured Hyundai driving erratically in central Palmerston North we would like to hear from them."
Those with information or footage is asked to contact police on 105 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
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