Praneeta Mahajan
Hamilton, February 15, 2023
Three teenagers have been charged with assaulting a dairy worker during a Hamilton robbery before using stolen vehicles to get back to Auckland.
Police arrested three people after a dairy was robbed in Hamilton City on Tuesday, 7 February at about 7.30am, when the three young males entered a dairy on Maeroa Street in Hamilton city.
A staff member at the dairy was assaulted and the offenders stole cigarettes and a till with cash inside. The offenders then left the store in a stolen vehicle and drove away from the dairy.
Shortly after, the offenders abandoned the vehicle on one of the Hamilton streets where the youths stole another vehicle and drove North towards Auckland.
While driving through Papakura, they sideswiped a vehicle travelling on Great South Road, causing minor damage to the victim’s vehicle.
While the driver of the vehicle was not hurt, the stolen vehicle was eventually brought to a stop using road spikes and the help of Police Air Support Unit (Eagle Helicopter), Police patrol staff on the ground, and members of the wider community.
Hamilton Area Commander Inspector Andrea McBeth said all three occupants were apprehended and cigarettes and cash were found in the vehicle.
The three young people, aged 16, 14 and 13, from Auckland, have been jointly charged with robbery while two have been charged with using a stolen vehicle.
The victim at the dairy received minor injuries and was checked at the scene by ambulance and referred to Victim Support since then.
They have since appeared before the Manukau District Court on 7 February.
Police want to acknowledge information received from members of the public which helped us resolve this situation quickly and without further incident.
While the incident unfolded last week, the Police shared details this week after taking various necessary factors into account.
The Police have urged the public to Call 111 in an emergency if something illegal or suspicious is happening right now. If it’s already happened you can provide information via the Police non-emergency number – call 105 or go online at 105.police.govt.nz
Praneeta Mahajan is an Indian Newslink reporter based in Hamilton.
