Hamilton mall robbery: Armed robbers seen carrying out smash and grab at Michael Hill Jewellers, police appeal for information

Armed robbers have been seen carrying out a daylight smash-and-grab robbery at a busy Hamilton mall.

It's the second incident of its kind in Hamilton today after a security guard was injured in a separate early morning raid on a shopping centre.

A group of at least seven masked thieves were seen smashing glass cabinets at Michael Hill Jewellers at The Base, Te Rapa Hamilton around 11.30am - leaving shoppers horrified and workers sobbing.

Police put out an appeal this afternoon to the public for information.

Witnesses and people with video footage of the incident are being asked to come forward, said Acting Inspector Michael Henwood.

The thieves smashed cabinets and stole jewellery in broad daylight as stunned onlookers watched. Photo / Supplied

"Police are following strong lines of enquiry including viewing CCTV footage to establish the damage caused and what was taken," said Henwood.

"The community can be assured our staff are working hard to identify the offenders and hold them to account."

"We acknowledge this type of offending causes concern and harm in our community and it will not be tolerated."

Information can be provided to 105 or via Crime Stoppers, referencing the file number 220925/6221.

A retail worker in Te Awa, The Base said she was alerted to the robbery when she heard a scream.

"I ran out to go see and saw seven guys, dressed in fully black, just smashing everything, yelling at the girls that were working," she said.

She said the workers in Michael Hill were shaking and crying, and another mall worker was on the ground shaking after the incident.

The worker said the mall was packed with shoppers today.

"There's so many people and they all have no idea what just occurred.

"I heard someone say they had weapons and I shut up shop and stay in until we were told to come out.

"It's just girl workers, myself and my sales assistant today so I am not feeling too comfortable now, so we might shut up a bit earlier just for our own relief."

The Michael Hill Jewellers is located next to the food court, which was busy with shoppers and diners who watched the incident unfold in alarm.

Roeland Koridon was sitting in the food court with his family when the group started smashing their way through Michael Hill.

"We heard this almighty bang, it was almost like something exploding," he said.

Koridon said they saw at least 10 people a part of the group and that some looked as young as 13.

He said an old man was hit in the head with a hammer when he ran after the group as they fled.

Koridon said he didn't see any blood on the man after the attack.

"The hardest thing was, we were with our kids," he said.

"It was so scary because of the actual fact there were little kids all around."

The family were just visiting the area from Northland. Koridon said they are ready to go home after witnessing the ordeal.

He said his sons were "really scared" and "not in a good state".

He suggested that jewellery stores be removed from shopping centres and instead become standalone stores.

Police have been approached for comment.

Meanwhile, a security guard was injured after being assaulted by a group of thieves who robbed a separate Hamilton shopping centre early this morning.

Police say that a group smashed their way into shops on Hukanui Rd at about 5.45am.

Detective Senior Sergeant Kristine Clarke said the group stole goods from multiple stores before approaching a security guard who was in their vehicle nearby.

"The group have approached the vehicle and assaulted the security guard before
leaving the scene. The security guard was taken to hospital for assessment of facial injuries. This is a really nasty, gratuitous violence directed at the security guard who had not approached or challenged the offenders," Clarke said.

The thieves are then believed to have left in a gold Nissan Tiida.

Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate was not aware of the smash and grab at Michael Hill jewellers in The Base upon being approached by the Herald.

"That is so very disappointing to hear, these smash and grabs are getting out of control and it just breaks my heart every time one happens," she said.

She said on Monday morning she would be contacting police minister Chris Hipkins.

"I will again be following up with the minister and asking him what his urgent response to these matters is.

"Every time this happens it's more and more demoralising for the Hamilton public and I don't blame them for feeling anxious and concerned. It's got to the point where the government has just got to step up and tell us exactly what they are going to do to help Hamilton."

Southgate said she spoke with Hipkins a few weeks ago and shared her concerns for Hamilton.

Tackling youth crime was one of her focuses as well as determining what amount of money allocated by the Government to tackle ram raids and smash and grabs would be distributed through Hamilton police.

"We still haven't understood how much of that money is coming into Hamilton and that concerns me as well," she said.