A 33-year-old man was arrested in Napier less than two hours after he allegedly committed an aggravated robbery while on release conditions after a previous sentence for robbery.
Police said a man entered a dairy on the corner of Charles and Alfred Sts, Westshore, about 9.45am yesterday brandishing a "baseball" bat.
Area Response Manager Senior Sergeant Steve Nicoll said the man unsuccessfully tried to open the till but left with cigarettes valued about $1500 and was driven away by an accomplice.
Nicoll said "excellent police work" led to the arrest of a patched gang member about 11.30am, the recovery of stolen property and the alleged weapon.
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Advertise with NZME.Charges are pending, and the man remains in custody awaiting court appearances.
Meanwhile, an 18-year-old arrested after a robbery at the Te Awa Dairy on June 15, from which he fled as the proprietor's father brandished a garden hoe, is expected to be sentenced in Napier District Court next month.
He faces a maximum 14 years in prison for aggravated robbery - committed with violence, a weapon or by more than one person.
