Papatoetoe jewellery store robbery: Police make two more arrests as attacked owner recovers at home

More people have been arrested after a violent Papatoetoe jewellery store robbery which only ended when a staff member drew a sword.

A group of masked assailants forced their way into Pooja Jewellers on Kolmar Rd on June 23. Video footage shows store owner Gurdeep Singh, 50, being hit with a hammer and collapsing,clutching his bloodied head.

His son then emerges with a large sword and forces intruders out of the store.

Singh’s skull was fractured in the attack.

Detective Inspector Karen Bright, of the Counties Manukau CIB, said police executed four search warrants in Mt Roskill, Mt Albert and Papatoetoe today, and arrested three people.

“The investigation team located two persons of interest to the enquiry at separate addresses and they were taken into custody,” Bright said.

Police and ambulance outside the Pooja Jewellers after the armed robbery. Photo / Baljinder Randhawa Sonu

A 16-year-old boy in Mt Roskill was charged with aggravated robbery.

A 36-year-old woman was to appear in the Manukau District Court today after she was arrested in Mt Albert.

Five arrests have now been made after the violent robbery.

Police initially arrested three youths, aged 15, 16 and 17, last month and charged them with aggravated robbery with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The 16-year-old is also charged with aggravated assault, while the 15-year-old is also charged with assault.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell visits Gurdeep Singh Luther in hospital.

“There is a lot of work going into the investigation by police staff involved,” Bright said.

“We cannot rule out further arrests being made, or charges being laid.”

A 33-year-old man was also arrested at a Mt Albert address today on warrants for breaches of bail. He was expected to appear in the Manukau District Court today.

The arrests come after about 200 business owners and protesters gathered in Papatoetoe on Tuesday, calling for tougher punishments for youth offenders.

Protest organiser Rajesh Goel said businesses were fed up with the Government’s “catch and let go” policy that allowed criminals to reoffend “days after getting arrested”.

Business owners protesting in Papatoetoe over increasing violence and crime by young people. Photo / Dean Purcell

“This protest is to tell the Government that enough is enough, and we want stronger laws to keep these criminals off the streets so that they cannot come back to hurt us,” Goel told the Herald.

Goel said the protesters could resort to hunger strikes if their demands were not met.

Most shops in Papatoetoe shut between 10am and 11am on Tuesday to protest against the violent attack on Singh and to show solidarity with other local businesses hit by crime.

Goel, who is president of the Auckland Indian Retailers Association, said Singh was recovering at home and was not well enough to attend the protest.