Whangārei teen sentenced for violent role in Michael Hill Jeweller robbery

The group stole more than $50,000 of jewellery and caused around $200,000 in damages to the store. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A daylight robbery that saw a group of armed thieves storm a jewellery store and take more than $50,000 of product has left workers battling to come to grips with the traumatic experience.

While some of the group collected the valuable items, Arthur Ashby violently herded the female employees into an isolated room.

“Five armed men against three women - women who didn’t have a choice,” Michael Bell, a representative for Michael Hill Jeweller told Whangārei District Court this week at Ashby’s sentencing.

“What right do these perpetrators have to violate someone else’s right to work and feel safe.”

The court heard Ashby, 18, of Raumanga, and his co-offenders pulled up in a stolen car on the footpath outside the Whangārei branch of Michael Hill Jewellers around 3.45pm on August 2, 2023.

Armed with a hammer, crowbar, screwdriver, and tyre iron and disguised in hooded jackets, masks and gloves, the group ran into the store, which was staffed by one security guard and the three women.

The security guard was overrun as they began to smash glass display cabinets, removing rings, watches and other jewellery.

Ashby chased the women through the store, knocking one down and holding another against a safe with a crowbar to her throat.

He then threw her to the ground and struck her in the head, causing what she described as severe physical and emotional trauma.

CCTV captured Dayton Perham smashing cabinets with a hammer and taking jewellery.

Perham has since been sentenced to three years imprisonment.

The summary of facts alleged one person in the group acted as a lookout while the other four continued the robbery.

The group fled with more than $50,000 of stolen goods and caused $200,000 of damage to the store.

They were later found and arrested.

In court, the victims recalled the traumatic memories of what Ashby had subjected them to and the flashbacks of associated sounds such as breaking glass and alarms.

One victim remembered the moment he came for them.

“You chased us and knocked over one of my co-workers and then held another against a safe in our back office with the weapon.”

Another victim recalled being on the floor and seeing him standing over her colleague. She could see his feet and feared he would come for her next.

The third woman described the terror she felt and how it would live with her forever.

“I was scared for them [her colleagues] and I didn’t know what you were going to do to them. I can close my eyes and I can see them on the floor trying their best to protect themselves while you stood over them.

“I can hear your friends breaking the glass and destroying our beautiful store. I can hear the alarm screaming and the room starts to fill up with fog making it hard to see. I don’t think this is something I will ever be able to forget.”

Police at the scene of the robbery at Michael Hill Jeweller in Whangārei. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Ashby, the eldest of eight children, was 17 at the time of offending and due to the seriousness of the charge, his case got bumped from the Youth Court to the District Court.

Although he appeared via AVL from a youth facility, Judge Greg Davis warned those days were numbered.

“There is only one outcome today. You are going to jail.”

Judge Davis recalled that when the boys first appeared in court, a friend tried to take photos of Ashby while he was in the dock, which highlighted another potential motive for the crime.

“It appeared to me on that day what was happening here was an element of intense infamy and that in this case, must make it equally important the court sends loud and clear messages to anyone that if they undertake this sort of behaviour, they can expect stern terms of imprisonment to follow.”

Judge Davis acknowledged the profound impact the crime had on the victims and expressed appreciation for their assistance with the court.

“There is little the court can say to unwind the clock, I wish we could. Ultimately though, Arthur, the only way that clock can be unwound is if you recognise what you did so you don’t end up back in court,” he told Ashby.

He was sentenced to three years and six months imprisonment and will be required to go before the parole board for release.

Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.