Five people have been arrested and are appearing in court today after a daylight robbery of an Ellerslie jewellery store.
A 35-year-old woman and two 18-year-old men are due to appear in Auckland District Court today facing aggravated robbery charges, while a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old are due to appear in the Youth Court facing the same charges.
It comes as two women describe hearing screams before chasing the hammer-wielding robbers in an attempt to stop them.
Lesley and her daughter were in the store next door to Ellerslie Jewellers and Engravers on Main Highway in Auckland when they heard loud smashing sounds yesterday afternoon.
“We were just leaving at that time around 4.30pm, and we heard screams and crying coming from the neighbouring store.
“We ran out to have a look and then someone said it was a ram-raid. We made eye contact with the robbers swaying their hammers.”
The robbers crossed the road approaching a getaway car, and the two women chased after without thinking anything, Lesley and her daughter told the Herald.
“What is going through your mind at that time is to do something, anything to stop them.”
One of the thieves tried to come after her daughter, they said.
“We were not scared for our safety in that moment, we reckon they were never going to hit us. We just wanted to stop them from leaving.”
But the driver ran over Lesley’s foot, and she fell to the ground.
“We were not thinking, we just saw that it was wrong and they needed to be stopped.”
Jewellery store owner John Rennell told the Herald today the damage was significant.
“Cabinets are all stuffed, and workers are traumatised, we would have to halt trading for two months it looks like.
“They dropped heaps of stolen jewellery in various locations, there was some left behind on the road,” he said.
Russell Jeffery from the jewellery store praised Lesley and her daughter’s attempt to stop the robbers but said she didn’t need to put herself in danger.
“Lesley is a wonder woman, a superwoman, an amazing neighbour we could have asked for. But she did not need to put herself in danger.”
This morning staff were assessing the damage, Jeffery said.
“All the counters would need to be rebuilt, the displays are damaged, there is huge damage. At the moment we are just in clean-up mode. The staff are horrified.”
Jeffery said he commended the frontline police officers but was upset with the government.
“I want to commend the frontline police force, off-duty officers from the gym and community watch though, they were amazing.
“I hold the ivory tower, the government responsible for this. These families don’t need to be robbing stores.
“The government has more than enough resources to help educate, feed, clothe and house them.”
Neighbouring bakery owner Jason Kay said when he heard the screams from the jewellery store he was making pastry.
“I ran outside still covered in flour, by that time robbers had left. We picked up all the pieces off the floor. I stood outside the store to prevent anyone else from getting in.”
Lesley and her daughter said their advice to other people facing a similar situation was to not be afraid or intimidated.
“Be aware of your surroundings and do what you feel is right.”
Auckland City CIB Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Armstrong said police including Eagle helicopter, quickly responded to the incident and apprehended the group shortly after the incident in Mt Wellington.
“Four men and a woman have been charged with aggravated robbery.”
Video of the heist, provided to the Herald, showed several people trying to impede the robbers as they made an escape from the jewellery store in Ellerslie.
Two women chased the robbers across the road before being threatened with a hammer, the footage showed. As the car drove away one of the women was knocked to the ground, she later told the Herald she was uninjured.
Earlier in the video, one man attempted to break the windscreen of the getaway car with a chair, another seemingly tried to slash a rear tyre and a third man opened the driver’s door looking for the keys.