The Ram's New Windsor Superette on New Windsor Rd was robbed yesterday afternoon. Photo / Google
The Ram's New Windsor Superette on New Windsor Rd was robbed yesterday afternoon. Photo / Google
By Meghan Lawrence
The owner of a dairy that was robbed at knifepoint recalls the moment offenders held a machete to his wife's head.
Hasmukh Patel, owner of Ram's New Windsor Superette, said his wife fled for her life when two masked assailants entered their New Windsor Rd shop justafter 3pm yesterday.
Hasmukh had left his wife, Jagruti Patel, in charge of the store while he popped out to collect their children from school.
On his return he was told of the shocking incident that occurred during his absence.
"My wife was standing outside when she saw somebody coming with a knife so she ran away from them," he said.
"They chased her inside, because she wanted to come inside the house and lock the door, but she couldn't lock the door before they broke it and got her.
"They grabbed my wife and asked her to open the cash register and to stay still and not go anywhere.
Detective Inspector Gary Lendrum, of Counties Manukau CIB, said as a result of the recent spike in robberies in the Auckland region "a whole raft of" prevention measures have been put in place.
"We are making multiple arrests every week in respect of robberies so the enforcement side of things is happening, but on the prevention side of things there is a whole raft of things going on there as well."
Detective Inspector Gary Lendrum, of Counties Manukau CIB.
Lendrum said dairies and petrol stations are the main target of robberies, with bars and liquor outlets also an occasional target.
"We are doing a lot of work with the retailers trying to 'target hard' the premises and make them not so appealing to potential robbers.
"We look see if it is something about the environmental design, the location, the activity that goes on in the area etc.
"One of the simplest things that dairy owners can do is remove the material off the front of their windows so people that are walking past or driving past can actually see what is going on.
"The way the store is set up, where the counter is positioned, and that type of thing can also be taken into consideration."
He said other key messages directed to retailers are not to hold large sums of cash on premises and to communicate with neighbouring shops or residents.
"We are also doing a lot more patrolling activity, so we have identified areas that are continually getting hit and people should see an increase in police presence in those areas, both overtly and covertly."
Lendrum said a lot of the offenders involved in robberies are youth, and are offending "time and time again".
"All of these people who are committing these offences are living in our communities and they don't disguise the fact that they are doing it.
"They will be bragging about these robberies on social media and amongst their friends and it is time people actually said enough is enough and contacted us.
