Two arrested after elderly woman's kidnap ordeal

Police are still seeking this woman in relation to the attack. CCTV image / Suppllied

Two women charged with the kidnapping and robbery of an 82-year-old woman in south Auckland last week will spend Christmas and New Year in jail.

Pamela Renata, 24, and another woman whose name was suppressed, were both remanded in custody when they appeared in the Auckland District Court today, charged with aggravated robbery and kidnapping.

Renata was to appear again on January 14 and the other woman, a 26-year-old, was remanded to appear again on January 7.

The second woman's name was suppressed until then to allow her to tell her family of the charges, her lawyer David Niven told the court.

The two women were arrested overnight after publicity about the kidnapping and robbery of the 82-year-old woman, who was driven around in the back of her own car before she was robbed of more than $1000 last Friday. A third person was still being sought by police.

The two women were arrested at a house in south Auckland after police executed a search warrant.

During their appearance in court today the woman whose name was suppressed offered a single-fingered gesture to an NZPA photographer.

A third woman being sought by police was described as "quite large", about 1.7m tall, wearing dark jeans and a dark green or black t-shirt with a logo on the front.

Detective Sergeant Graeme Timms said police found the women - one from Palmerston North and the other from south Auckland - at a south Auckland address last night.

A black pistol that police believe was used during the kidnapping was also found.

Mr Timms said another woman was still being sought in relation to the attack.

Yesterday Mr Timms said the victim, from St Heliers, had been shopping on West Tamaki Rd and was returning to her car when she was approached by three women about 3.40pm last Friday.

She was forced into the back seat of her grey 1992 Toyota Corolla, where her attackers threatened her until she gave them the PIN numbers for her credit and bank cards.

For more than an hour the trio drove the victim around in her car, using her bank cards to withdraw more than $1000 from ATM machines in Glen Innes.

They also bought alcohol and other items from a liquor store and superette in Tripoli Rd, Panmure.

The three women later drove the victim into a carpark in Apirana Ave near the Glen Innes train station and abandoned the vehicle, leaving the victim inside in a distressed condition.

"This elderly lady has gone through an appalling and terrifying ordeal and the people responsible will be located," said Mr Timms.

Anyone with information on the kidnapping and robbery can contact Mr Timms at the Glen Innes police station on (09) 524-1910 or (0274) 967-886.

- NZPA