Smash and grab: Merivale jewellery store robbed by thieves armed with hammers

Police are investigating the aggravated robbery of a jewellery store on Papanui Rd, Merivale. It involved three offenders brandishing hammers. Photo / NZ Police

A Merivale jewellery shop has been targeted by robbers in a daylight smash and grab.

Petersens Jewellers was hit just before lunchtime on Monday on Papanui Rd in the upmarket Christchurch suburb.

Three people dressed in black entered the shop about 11.48am and robbed the jewellery store. One was wearing a white face mask and they were armed with hammers.

Petersens Jewellers in Merivale was the target of a smash and grab. Photo / Supplied

The shop is near a childcare centre and a school. The daycare was open at the time, but the school was closed for the school holidays.

Two police officers are at the shop making inquiries into what happened.

Glass doors smashed at Merivale Mall in ram raid. Photo / Supplied

It is the second attack on a shop in Merivale in four days.

On Friday morning a camera shop was the target of a ram raid.

A black wagon was driven straight through two glass doors at Merivale Mall.

Greg Bramwell (left), manager of Photo and Video International, cleaning up the mess after a ram-raid in Merivale. Photo / George Heard

Greg Bramwell, the manager of Photo and Video International, said the alleged offender ran upstairs into the camera shop and was later caught by a private security guard and was due to appear in court.

A second ram raid investigated by police occurred on the same day, last Friday.

Police investigate a ram raid at Yaldhurst. Photo / George Heard

Police were called to Sues Takeaway and Convenience Store on Pound Rd, Yaldhurst just before 1am.

Monday's brazen raid on a shop in Christchurch was the third in four days.