Rastaman Rapatini. Photo / APN
One of three men who attempted to hold up the Katikati Park Rd Dairy and Waihi Mobil Service Station last June with a pistol and hammer has been jailed for six years four months.
Rastaman Rapatini, 20, from Te Aroha, who earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with
intent to rob, and two further unrelated charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and receiving a motor vehicle, was sentenced by Judge Robert Wolff in Tauranga District Court today.
The charges relate to him and his associates attempting to rob the petrol station and dairy within half an hour of each other on June 18 last year armed with a pistol and a clawhammer, and another unknown weapon, while wearing masks.
During the Mobil Service Station attempted robbery no cash was taken because there was none on the premises at the time, and after the sole female attendant was not able to open the cigarette cabinet she was kicked in the stomach before Rapatini and his group fled.
In relation to the Katikati dairy armed robbery again the store attendant was alone but he managed to locked himself in the accommodation area of the property, so nothing was taken.
