Hold-ups spur police warning on robbers

A string of armed hold-ups northwest of Auckland has business owners worried.

They follow a spate of break-ins and burglaries in the past six months.

Police are warning people not to approach two men believed to be responsible for three armed robberies of take-away and liquor stores in Helensville in four days.

Detective Neil Hilton said that in all three incidents, a pistol had been brandished and police feared it might be fired next time.

"There have been no injuries on these occasions, but obviously we are concerned that if this continues there's the opportunity for that to happen," he said.

One man is described as European, aged about 20 years, about 1.75m tall, of slim to medium build, with short brown hair.

The other is described as European or Maori, aged about 18 years, and slightly shorter and thinner than his partner.

The first armed robbery occurred last Thursday about 9.40pm at That Place Takeaways on Parkhurst Rd in Parakai.

Owner Dont Chen was preparing his dinner when two men approached and asked to make an order. He told them the shop was closed and they said they just wanted drinks. Mr Chen let them inside and they took the beverages from the fridge before turning a pistol on him.

"One said to me, 'I'm not being funny. If you don't [hand over the money] I will shoot you'," he said.

The pair fled with about $300 from the till and the contents of Mr Chen's wallet.

About 9.40pm on Saturday, Chao Vhuo, 26, was mopping out the back of his aunt and uncle's takeaway store, Fay's Place on Garfield Rd, when two men tried to enter the store but an outer locked gate stopped them.

The men pointed a gun at him and demanded money. But they could not get inside and took off.

On Sunday night about 7.40pm, two men entered Kaukapakapa Wines and Spirits on the Kaipara Coast Highway and pointed a pistol at the owner. They then stole alcohol.

Other business owners have been targeted by burglars. Houn Chhour, owner of the Helensville Bakery, said intruders tried to break in through the front door of her shop on Wednesday and Thursday last week and got in the back door about midnight on Friday.

The burglars took food, but there was no cash on the premises, she said.

Back in May at Helensville Price Cutter, three men, one armed, ran at owner Vikas Patel and his father and got away with about $3000 in cash, cigarettes and phone cards.

Paul Brennan, owner of Helensville restaurant Porcini Cafe, said there was an ongoing problem with robberies in the area. "It keeps happening because you see such a cross-section of wealth and poverty."