Police are not encouraging people to follow the example of a Christchurch dairy owner who opened fire with an air pistol on two armed robbers.
On Monday night the two men threatened the dairy owner with a large knife and demanded money.
The Chinese dairy owner, identified onlyas Nike, told The Press he had armed himself after the shooting of a liquor store owner in south Auckland last month.
Nike said one of the men ran at him, slashed the air near his throat and chest, and backed him up against a cigarette rack.
Nike's wife handed him the air pistol and he said he fired it five or six times.
He told the newspaper he had hit one man in the face.
"We would never have used (the air pistol) if they weren't so threatening," he said. "They were frantic."
He said he suspected the men were on drugs as "normal people don't act like that".
The two men fled with the cash register containing a small amount of money.
Today Detective Constable Matt Grant, of New Brighton police, confirmed to NZPA that an air pistol had been used by the dairy owner.
"Whether or not he managed to hit anyone, I don't know, but he certainly did (use the pistol)," Mr Grant said.
Asked if the dairy owner would face charges, Mr Grant said he did not know.
"It's still at an inquiry stage at the moment, we're still working on the robbery," he said.
He said the air pistol had been taken as part of the evidence.
Mr Grant said there were no leads so far into the identity of the two men who carried out the robbery at Wainoni Dairy, on the corner of Wainoni Road and Orrick Crescent, Christchurch, about 8.30pm on Monday.
They were described as dark skinned, wearing dark clothing and had their faces covered with bandanas. One of them possibly had a small injury to his face.
Mr Grant warned against people emulating the dairy owner's actions.
"I don't want other people to think it's okay to do what this gentleman has done," he said.
"Certainly we discourage what he's done.
"We encourage a practice of compliance and for people in that situation just to get the offenders out of the shop as soon as possible without any damage or harm to anyone," Mr Grant said.
