Christchurch dairy workers injured after two back-to-back aggravated robberies

Two Christchurch dairies have been hit by back-to-back aggravated robberies just minutes apart, leaving two people injured.

Police were called to Mairehau Food Market on Briggs Rd in Shirley about 8.10pm last night after a report two people entered the business with a weapon.

An employee was assaulted, and the offenders left in a vehicle reported stolen.

Hato Hone St John said one person in a moderate condition was assessed at the scene. They later travelled to Christchurch Hospital in a private car.

About 10 minutes later, police received another report of two people entering Gayhurst Dairy on McBratneys Rd, just 6km away, armed with a weapon.

Senior Sergeant Seb Kohnke said an employee was assaulted and taken to hospital with moderate injuries. Police said cash was targeted before the offenders left in a vehicle.

Both businesses remained closed for much of the morning after the attacks.

Doors were bolted at Gayhurst Dairy. At Mairehau Food Market, the only sign of activity was the lights inside.

When the Herald visited this afternoon, both stores had reopened, but employees at both dairies were shaken up. They were too upset to speak about the incidents.

Outside Gayhurst Dairy, blood on the pavement had been washed away.

Customers in both shops were talking of the incidents and well-wishes were passed on to the victims.

The Mairehau Food Market has its doors closed today after an aggravated robbery on Monday night. Photo / Jazlyn Whales

Kelly Barber, city councillor for Burwood, said he was appalled by the “unnecessarily violent behaviour”.

“Dairy owners provide a really important service in our small community, and often they’re small family businesses just trying to make a living like the rest of us,” he said.

“I’m really frustrated that they have to go through these sorts of situations. I wish the police every success in apprehending these violent thieves.”

Gayhurst Dairy remains closed this morning after an aggravated robbery. Photo / Jazlyn Whales

He said the public “needs to be a wee bit careful” about stepping in during incidents like this.

“These people are not in their right mind if they’re robbing dairies, and [the public] probably just need to let the police do their work,” he said.

It’s not the first time Gayhurst Dairy has been the target of a brutal robbery.

On May 20, 2012, teenage gang member Dwayne Kararema Tutengaehe, bought a 2 litre bottle of milk and asked the shop owner when he closed that night.

After closing at 8pm, the dairy owner walked to his car with the day’s takings in a backpack.

However, Tutengaehe opened the driver’s door and stabbed the man in his shoulder with a 30cm knife.

He demanded the backpack, but when he stepped back, the dairy owner shut his car door and tried to drive off.

The youth smashed the car window with his elbow before stabbing the man “four or five more times” in the upper right arm. The victim received four puncture wounds to his right arm and shoulder.

He managed to drive off, as Tutengaehe tried to cling to the car, and get to hospital where he received stitches.

Tutengaehe, who was 17 at the time, was jailed for four-and-a-half years for the vicious armed robbery.