Man arrested after $25,000 of watches stolen from Napier eyewear shop

Police at the Napier store where about $25,000 of watches were stolen on Friday. Photo / File

A man has been arrested after up to $25,000 worth of watches were stolen from Spex Eyewear in Napier.

Police received a report of a theft at the shop on Emerson St, Napier, about 10.45am on Friday.

Following the incident, store manager Mary Nichols said about 50 watches were in the cabinet at the time of the theft - totalling a worth of between $20,000 and $25,000.

A 27-year-old man has been arrested and charged with robbery.

A police spokeswoman said the man is due to appear at Hastings District Court on Monday.

Nichols said suspicions arose when a man wearing a bucket hat, sunglasses and gardening gloves entered the store and began to browse the watch section.

"I asked him to leave as we didn't feel comfortable," she said.

"We had a feeling he was going to do something when he asked us to move the stuff off the top of the watch cabinet. He refused to leave and said we needed to take the stuff off the cabinet or he was going to take the whole thing."

Nichols said she attempted to grab the cabinet, before a short struggle ensued.

"There was a tussle, but I thought he might get violent so I left it and he ran out into a waiting car with the watch case," she said.

A police spokeswoman previously said a person reportedly left with a jewellery cabinet and its contents.

"No one was injured during the incident," she said.

Police inquiries into the incident are ongoing.