12-year-old high on P attempts robbery

Mrs Patel said: "I was just screaming, yelling, go away, I chased them away with the stick." Photo / Supplied

A female dairy owner who chased away a pair of teenage robbers with a broom, including an armed 12-year-old police believe was on methamphetamine, screamed so loudly she lost her voice.

Dipika Patel was in the North Road Dairy in Kaitaia with her two sons, 13 and 17, when the boy entered the store demanding money at 8.35pm on Sunday.

CCTV footage shows him pointing a gun across the counter at Ms Patel. With his face covered by a black bandanna, he tries to steal some sweets at the counter but appears intoxicated, stumbles and is unable to stuff them in his pockets.

While her older son went to call the cops, Ms Patel picked up a broom and began waving it at him and shouting. An older boy, believed to be aged 15, then entered the shop.

The shopkeeper chased the pair outside.

Speaking to the Herald in a hoarse voice, Mrs Patel said: "I was just screaming, yelling, go away, I chased them away with the stick."

A probation officer is understood to have then chased the pair to at an address in nearby Matthews Ave. Police arrested them a short time later. Six other young people were at the house with no adults present, said police.

There, police said they were abused by the other young people, who locked the doors and windows.

The rifle and clothes they had been wearing were found at the house.

The 12-year-old allegedly spat at a police officer, punching him in the face twice and kicking him in the mouth, police said.

Police believe he may have been under the influence of methamphetamine at the time.

Both boys are facing charges of aggravated robbery, while the younger of the pair will also be charged with assaulting and resisting police.

Detective Richard Garton believed the rifle was not loaded at the time and no ammunition was found when the address the teen had been at was searched.

The dairy was closed Monday morning while the victims were speaking to police and evidence was collected from the scene.

Inquiries are also being made into how the boy came to have a firearm.