Northland dairy staff play detective, find getaway car and weapons used for robbery

One of the burglars posts a selfie with stolen cigarette boxes to their Facebook story. Photo / Supplied

So eager were they to evade capture, they wore masks while robbing the Tutukaka General Store - in and out in under 60 seconds.

Then the four youths went online to offer their bounty to anyone wanting it including offering the haul of cigarettes with which they escaped.

"PM (private message) is afta any ciggies," wrote one alleged culprit on Instagram, holding up a handful of cigarette packets.

It took less than a day for the manager and staff of Tutukaka General Store to solve the Saturday daylight robbery that sent shockwaves through the community.

The manager of the shop, who did not want to be named, even found the stolen car in which the robbers travelled. Inside were the weapons used during the robbery.

Security footage from the store showed four young men storm inside, jump the counter and wave weapons about, sending the shopkeeper scurrying for safety.

The video showed the men entering 22 seconds after 3.24pm. They were gone less than a minute later.

Tutukaka store manager finds stolen getaway car parked on Okere Pl driveway in Tikipunga on Sunday, a day after the robbery. Photo / Michael Cunningham

The shopkeeper said he did not realise it was a robbery until the intruder smashed the counter glass with an axe.

"At first, I thought they were just kids trying to joke around and have a bit of fun.

"They were a group of four people and there was nothing I could do but save my life. I left the store immediately from the back exit."

The intruders also stole his phone and car keys.

Four young men armed with steel rods and an ax robbed Tutukaka General Store on Saturday. Photo / Michael Cunningham

The shopkeeper said the loss of the phone cost him "irreplaceable" memories and the loss of important documents.

With cigarettes costing more than $30 a packet, the lightweight haul of at least 20 sleeves – 10 cigarette packets – would have netted the robbers thousands of dollars of stolen goods.

The intruders scooped up stray packets that had escaped their industrial-style grab.

At the end of the video, one of the men was seen fleeing with the cash till, while knocking the computer screen to the ground.

The store manager found the stolen red Kia car in Tikipunga with the robbery weapons in it on Sunday afternoon.

He was first on the scene post-robbery and was "terrified" for the shopkeeper's safety.

"I rushed here and was relieved to find him (shopkeeper) alright."

The man said he'd lived in the area for more than 11 years and this was the first robbery in the community.

"Everyone in the community is a bit shaken. People are baking for us, bringing flowers and cards... it is a small community and we are like a family."

Tutukaka General store staff receives community support after an armed robbery. Photo / Michael Cunningham

He said he did not want to install a barricade. "It does not look good in a small community, feels like you are standing behind bars... but it will have to be our last resort."