A man who allegedly tried to rob a jewellery store in Auckland with an axe hidden in his backpack was arrested over the weekend.
The offender entered Westfield Manukau City at around 12.15 on Sunday, heading straight for a jewellery store.
With a shirt covering his face, the man approached the counter, demanding that staff members hand over jewellery.
“When staff refused to comply with his demands, the offender reached across the counter and attempted to open a cabinet,” Senior Sergeant Roelof Burger said.
The store's fog cannon was activated, blasting mist into the air. The offender ran away.
As he fled, police say the man removed an axe from his backpack, ditching it in a rubbish bin.
Police arrived, and the man was arrested, with the axe found nearby.
A 24-year-old man was charged with burglary and possession of an offensive weapon and appeared in the Manukau District Court yesterday.
He was remanded on bail and would reappear in court on April 30.
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