Four teenagers have been arrested and charged over the aggravated robbery of a Masterton store late last month.
The 15-year-old boys appeared in the Masterton Youth Court yesterday accused of a robbery in which tobacco and cigarettes were stolen from the Roberts Rd store on September 24.
They were arrested following the execution of search warrants over a number of days. Police made the arrests thanks to the work of investigators and information from members of the public, Detective Sergeant Dean Cadwallader said.
The stolen goods are yet to be recovered, and police urge anyone who is offered such goods to contact local police or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
"Police would like to remind members of the public that purchasing cigarettes they know are stolen can result in prosecution," Cadwallader said.
The incident at the store was the second of two aggravated robberies in Masterton in the past six weeks.
Three other males, two aged 15 and one aged 13, are also facing aggravated robbery charges in relation to the targeting of the dairy on Colombo Road.
During police inquiries into both events, good quality CCTV footage assisted in the investigations.
The two aggravated robberies were not carried out by the same people.