Two masked men armed with a gun and knife burst into a Mount Maunganui home yesterday and threatened a woman and her daughter before stealing a car and electronics.
Police were today still hunting the pair who forced their way into the Te Maunga home about 12.45pm.
Inside were Hong Kong woman Lai Ping Cheung and her 15-year-old daughter.
The 15-year-old told the Bay of Plenty Times she was in the bathroom when the two men burst into the house.
She tried to lock herself in the bedroom she shares with her mother.
The two men pointed their weapons at Ms Cheung, who was in the living room, before taking her down the hallway of the house and kicking in the bedroom door.
The intruders took a Sky Television decoder, and a DVD player from the living room, as well as Ms Cheung's wallet, which contained her driver's licence and bank card.
They also took two cellphones, and the keys to Ms Cheung's car, before driving off.
The daughter, a Tauranga Girls' College student, said she came to Tauranga this year, although her mother had lived here for two years.
She said the home invasion had left both her and her mother scared.
"We are scared and couldn't fall asleep because we were afraid they were going to come back again.
"We are still scared today."
The girl said she did not expect to become a victim of violence in New Zealand.
"I didn't think this sort of thing would happen."
Although she did not know why their home had been targeted, the girl said one of the intruders told them they "took away his place."
The pair estimated their ordeal took about eight minutes.
Detective Sergeant Darryl Brazier said while the two women did not appear to be physically hurt, they were upset.
"As you can appreciate, they are pretty traumatised," Mr Brazier said.
"One (of the intruders) was armed with what appeared to be a small fire arm and the other a small knife."
The men were wearing black balaclavas and dark clothing.
"The two men forced their way in, confronted the two women and demanded keys to a motor vehicle," Mr Brazier said.
It is believed the pair fled in a red 2002 Honda hatchback, described by Mr Brazier as a "bubble car", with the registration number FPZ556.
Police are yet to identify the men, who were described as slim to medium build. Mr Brazier said the offenders did not appear to be connected to the women.
"It's a pretty nasty home invasion and aggravated robbery ... we don't know what the motivation was or why they targeted this house.
"We know how they left the address but we don't know how they got there. It's very possible they might have been dropped off."
Mr Brazier asked anyone who saw the car or something "that might not have registered at the time, but might now" to contact police.
He said police would be investigating the incident in relation to other home invasions that have occurred in the Western Bay of Plenty this year.
Janna Hawira, who lives two doors down from the house, said she and her husband knew most of her neighbours and it was usually a "no trouble" area.
"To us, we are all friends, there has been no trouble as far as we know but about midday those girls came in from next door.
"They came to use our phone. They said they had been raided," she said.
Friends of the mother and daughter are understood to be staying with them after the attack.
Police are asking anyone who sees the stolen vehicle, or who saw suspicious behaviour in the area at the time, to contact Tauranga Police Station immediately on (07) 577 4300.
They warn the vehicle or its occupants should not be approached.
Armed attack on mum and daughter
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