Man bashed with liquor bottles in violent robbery

A liquor store employee was bashed in the head with full bottles of alcohol during a violent robbery by two teenagers in Christchurch on Saturday night.

At 10.55pm two youths aged 15 and 16 went into Woolston Liquor Store on Ferry Road.

They both picked up large bottles of alcohol and tried to leave the store without paying.

They were stopped by a staff member who asked them to put the bottles back and leave the store.

"They refused and there was a brief struggle between the attendant and one of the males as they wrestled over a bottle of alcohol," police said.

The staffer began to call police and one of the youths shoved him and tried to wrestle the phone off him.

"At this stage the other male has struck the attendant over the head with a bottle of alcohol causing it to smash. Both males have each struck the attendant again smashing bottles over his head," police said.

The attacked staffer, a colleague and a customer who was in the store at the time managed to hide in a store room.

As they fled one of the youths threw two more full bottles of booze at them.

Both bottles smashed but did not hit anyone.

Police said the youths then grabbed several bottles of alcohol and left the store, taking off in a stolen getaway car.

They later arrested a 15-year-old and charged him with aggravated robbery.

They are currently speaking to a 16-year-old about the incident and expect further arrests and charges.

Police are also seeking the customer who was in the liquor store at the time of the robbery.