A man who allegedly stormed a Lower Hutt dairy armed with a machete and fled with half a backpack of cigarettes has been arrested and charged with aggravated robbery.
The robbery unfolded on Saturday afternoon at a dairy on Birch Street, Lower Hutt, and was captured on security video. The footage shows a man dressed in black, wearing a hood and surgical mask, entering the store wielding a large machete.
He placed a backpack on the counter, forcing the staff member at machete-point to fill it with cigarette packets. Throughout the ordeal, the man waved the machete threateningly and used it to strike the store’s till, causing damage.
Within a minute, the robber fled the scene with the backpack partially filled. Footage shows the shopkeeper giving chase, though it remains unclear whether he caught up with the suspect.
The dairy owner’s son later posted the video on Facebook, appealing to the public for help in identifying the assailant.
Police said they were called to the scene around 1pm on Saturday following a report of an armed robbery. “The individual has also allegedly caused damage to the till during the incident. Fortunately, there were no injuries,” a police spokesperson said.
After investigating, police arrested a 32-year-old man who is now due to appear in the Hutt Valley District Court today facing a charge of aggravated robbery.
The quick arrest follows growing concerns about the safety of small businesses in the Wellington region, with local leaders urging for more support and security measures.