Two stolen cars used in daytime robbery of Wellington Michael Hill Jeweller store

The Michael Hill Jeweller store in Wellington. Photo / File

Jewellery, hammers and tyre irons were thrown from a stolen car in a police chase across Wellington following an aggravated robbery at a Michael Hill Jeweller store.

The central city store on Victoria St was robbed in broad daylight about 2pm on Saturday.

Police said four men entered the store, smashed display cases, and stole several items, while a fifth man remained in a car parked outside.

“At least two witnesses approached the offenders as they left the jewellery store in an attempt to intervene. The witnesses were threatened and one was assaulted,” police said.

Two 18-year-olds and a 19-year-old, along with two youths, face a number of charges.

Police have now confirmed two stolen cars were used to try and flee the scene.

The car used in the robbery was a silver Honda Civic, registration HSP42, and had been stolen from Mt Eden in Auckland on May 5. It was abandoned by the offenders in Inverlochy Pl in Te Aro after the robbery.

The group then got into a silver Mazda Premacy, registration EUE946, and headed north on State Highway 1. This second car had been stolen earlier in the day from a Maupuia address in Wellington.

Police caught up with the car at Ngauranga Gorge and unsuccessfully tried to stop it. Police then pursued the car through Newlands and Johnsonville, before being stopped at the Paremata roundabout where the offenders were taken into custody.

“As the car fled from police, a number of items were thrown from the car towards pursuing police cars, including jewellery, hammers and tyre irons,” police said.

Police are now calling for anyone who saw the group switching cars, the police pursuit, or who may have picked up some of the items thrown from the car.

“This robbery occurred in a central Wellington street on a busy Saturday afternoon, and we know that many people will have witnessed the incident as it unfolded and may have information which could assist our ongoing investigation,” police said.

Police are also keen to hear from anyone who may have seen either of the two cars in the Eastern suburbs or central city before the robbery took place at 2pm.

Anyone with information can contact 105 either by calling or going online to https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105 using ‘Update Report’ and quoting file number 230506/7938.

Alternatively, people can call Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.