Family in terror after armed robbery

Mariana Haira, her son Taige Haira, 10, (left) and nephew Lyric Attfield, 8, were at the Four Square when the robbery happened. Photo / Ben Fraser

A Rotorua mother and two children were left "scared to leave the house" after their grocery shopping was interrupted by an armed robbery.

The Selwyn Heights Four Square on Kokako Place was robbed on Saturday morning by a man carrying a firearm.

Mariana Haira, her son Taige Haira, 10, and nephew Lyric Attfield, 8, were shopping when the man entered the store.

"It's terrifying now that I think about it. We had just gone in to get some groceries and when I saw him I thought he was just like the rest of us.

"Initially we had left the store but then I realised we had forgotten something so Taige went back in and that's when he saw the man demanding money from the till."

Ms Haira said when her son relayed what was happening in the store she "rushed the kids home".

"I just wanted to get them out of there. I was glad the man kept the firearm hidden because that would have been even more traumatising for my boy.

"I was scared all afternoon and didn't want to leave the house. Taige is still talking about the incident and what he saw, it really affected him."

Ms Haira said she grew up in Selwyn Heights and it made her sad to think this had happened in her "own backyard".

"This kind of stuff shouldn't be happening here. This is my home and it has always been a great neighbourhood and really family-oriented but now I don't think I could ever let my kids go to the shops by themselves.

"This man has made our lives a bit harder but I mainly felt sorry for the shopkeeper - after all, he was just doing his job and shouldn't have to feel afraid of going to work."

A Four Square staff member, who did not wish to be named, was out the back of the store when the robbery happened.

"Everyone is doing all right but when it happened we were pretty shaken. The store has been here for seven years and this is the first time anything like this has happened before."

The staff member said the robber walked in and started putting items on the counter "waiting for other customers to leave" before he revealed his firearm and demanded cash.

"He was in the store for about 10 to 15 minutes and the other staff member called the police after he had left."

He said the whole incident was "still fresh" and staff had not yet discussed whether they would update their security measures.

"We are very thankful of all the people in the community who are concerned about us and want to assure them that everybody here is doing okay."

The employee who was working the counter had taken some time off but would be returning to work, he said.

Police Senior Sergeant Geoff Barnett confirmed a man with the firearm entered the store about 11.45am demanding money before leaving with an unknown amount of cash. It is not clear whether any other items were taken.

Mr Barnett said the man fled in a vehicle, but could not give any description of the vehicle or man at this stage.

- Additional reporting Adriana Weber