A police officer armed with a rifle stands guard on Kerikeri Rd after Tuesday night's robbery at the Homestead Tavern.
A police officer armed with a rifle stands guard on Kerikeri Rd after Tuesday night's robbery at the Homestead Tavern.
An armed robber pressed a rifle to a Northland bar worker's head and clicked the trigger - and only then told her the gun wasn't loaded.
Police are still looking for two men who raided Kerikeri's Homestead Tavern on Tuesday evening before fleeing on foot with alcohol and a substantialsum of money.
Two staff, a man and a woman, had just locked up after the last customer left about 8.15pm. The woman was emptying the pokie machines and the man was taking the rubbish out when the robbers, wearing gloves and ski masks to disguise themselves, burst in through the back door.
The man was forced to lie on the ground while the woman was ordered to continue emptying the gaming machines. They were then taken to the office, forced to empty the safe, and tied up. The man managed to wriggle free and call police.
Publican Ross Lynch, who was on a rare night off, said the pair were doing well despite their ordeal. They had been offered help if they needed it.
"It's very traumatic. The shock will kick in soon, I'd say."
Before the robbers left they put the rifle to the woman's head and clicked the trigger. Only then did she learn it was not loaded. Mr Lynch said his staff had reacted as they had been trained to do.
"You do what you're told when a gun's pointed at your head."
Armed police closed off the area with road blocks on Kerikeri Rd and Fairway Drive. Several motel guests and Amokura Drive residents ended up stranded on the wrong side of the cordon for part of the night.
A police dog tracked the offenders to nearby Butler Rd before losing the scent. Northland criminal investigations manager Detective Inspector Kevin Burke urged anyone with information about the robbery, or had seen anything suspicious in Kerikeri on Tuesday night, to call police.
It was worrying that offenders could be so brazen and carry out an armed robbery with so little regard for public safety.
"It was a hell of a thing for the people concerned," Mr Burke said.
Police carried out a scene investigation and conducted area enquiries yesterday. They were awaiting forensic test results and were examining footage from Kerikeri's newly installed CCTV system. It was hoped CCTV would provide images of the offenders as well as revealing their route through town.
* Call the Kerikeri police station on (09) 407 9211 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 with any information.
