MAIN STORY: Armed man robs dairy

A dairy owner threw a packet of pineapple lumps at a masked gunman who demanded money last night during the Western Bay's sixth aggravated robbery in as many weeks.
A robber brandishing a pistol and wearing black clothing and a mask burst into the Viking Dairy on Otumoetai Rd about 6pm.
"He had a gun pointed at me and asked for money. I told him no. He asked a second time and I said no again," said the owner, who did not want to be named for fear of being attacked again.
"I threw a bag of $2 pineapple lumps at him as he was running out the door."
"I was really surprised. Usually people come in and buy cigarettes. You don't expect them to point a gun at you," the dairy owner said.
The raider left empty-handed.
While the owner was not attacked, police are extremely concerned about the senseless violence being used in some of the Bay's armed holdups.
They fear the vicious trend will not end until the use of methamphetamine or P is stamped out.
Earlier this month the Bay of Plenty Times revealed that large numbers of dairy owners were now arming themselves with baseball bats and machetes to protect themselves against armed robbers.
In last night's raid, there were no other customers in the shop at the time. Police believe the man ran off down Otumoetai or Grange roads.
Mother-of-two Katherine Clough, who lives near the dairy, was extremely concerned about last night's holdup.
"We were very worried, it was quite shocking. I'm over there every day," the 33-year-old said this morning.
She considered nipping over for some cat food at the exact time of the holdup.
"I thought `oh I will wait until the morning'. Thank God I didn't!"
The Cloughs and their sons Tristan, 6, and Alex, 4, have lived in the area for four months and Mrs Clough grew up in the suburb.
"You don't think it's going to happen in Otumoetai."
Detective Sergeant Mel Ridley said police were unable to explain the rise in aggravated crimes but an underlying factor was P.
"I know it's a major contributing factor to a number of aggravated robberies we have had. It's the major one because more and more people are using it, and we know the psychotic behaviour P brings out in people."
Two weeks ago Welcome Bay Tavern co-owner Brian Toner was smashed repeatedly around the head with a metal bar, well after he had been knocked to the ground.
"It just shows us how cowardly and brutal these guys are. He was totally compliant," Mr Ridley said.
Police suspect it was a drug-fuelled attack but cannot be sure of the substance. They have security camera footage of the incident - which gives a rough idea of what the offenders look like - but have not yet been able to track the culprits.
In other recent attacks, a Mount publican was bashed around the arm with an iron bar and had a briefcase stolen.
Two balaclava-clad robbers armed with a knife and baseball bat broke into the Seafarers Bar and Grill on Hull Rd early last month and repeatedly threatened to kill two female staff members.
Two days later a man with a knife stole confectionery from Domain Rd's Shell station in Papamoa. A man was arrested the following day and charged.
Another man was allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint in his own car by three men on June 28,
then on July 7 four armed intruders smashed their way into a Bay house and beat a man with a metal pipe before demanding money and drugs.
Mr Ridley said it was too early to say whether any of the crimes were linked.
The Hospitality Association of New Zealand plans to stage an armed holdup seminar next month to teach its members what to do if confronted.
Regional manager for the Bay of Plenty, Graeme McKay, said aggravated robberies were an ongoing issue throughout the country.
"But this brings an outside urgency to holding a seminar now."
Meanwhile, Bay publicans are keeping an extra tight vigil on security and educating staff on safe practice at night.
Welcome Bay Tavern employee Darna Morris spoke on behalf of Toner, who did not want to talk about his recent incident.
She said they now always had two or more staff members on while closing up .
Papamoa's Crab Bar owner Tony Ashbridge, who has also been robbed, said: "If somebody is on P you don't know how to handle them. You don't know if you're going to get knifed or shot."
Since the attack his staff always locked up in pairs and knew to comply with any orders in a holdup situation.
Te Puke Hotel owner Sue Peat said security should not be taken for granted.
"You can never rest on your laurels because it hasn't happened to you, because there's always somebody out there ready to take a pop at you," she said.
Papamoa Tavern owner Maurice Dunn was well aware of the spate of robberies and upped the ante on security.
"So if they come here they will get a hell of a shock," he said.