Bar raids 'not personal' says Todd

By LOUISA CLEAVE

Former league star Brent Todd is not taking the holdup of three of his bars in one day personally.

The raids on Monday netted the culprits about $100,000.

Todd has flown home from Australia to talk to staff and patrons at the bars.

Hops n' Hooves in Mt Albert was the first bar struck early on Monday morning, followed by Baby J's in Papatoetoe and The Hilly in Hillsborough.

The last bar was struck late in the evening by three robbers armed with a softball bat, a pipe and a firearm.

They told people to lie on the floor and one patron was hit, suffering minor to moderate injuries.

Todd, who co-owns five bars in Auckland, believes the robbers knew he owned the bars but has no proof the raids were linked.

"I don't think it was personal [but] they definitely know it's my bar.

"The fact is anyone who robs my bars knows I own them."

He said the raids would have been timed for the long weekend, when cash was stored on the premises, and because the bars all have poker machines.

Staff are meeting Todd and a former police officer today to discuss security.