The owner of a Blenheim dairy said a staff member did the right thing when confronted by a knife-wielding thief in the store this morning.
This man was wearing a grey sweat shirt with a dark coloured hood covering his face. Photo: NZ Police
Police said a man entered a dairy on Maxwell Road near the centre of the town at about 7am before threatening the shopkeeper and taking the cash register.
The dairy owner Yun He said the store had been open for an hour when the offender walked in holding what the staff member described as a knife, and pulled the till off the counter.
He said the staff member ran away and called the police.
"Somebody wanted all the money from the till and they got a knife, like the kitchen knife. Judy ran away and the man take all of the till and ran away. Judy did the right thing."
Mr He said the till contained about $300 including the cash float left overnight.
The offender was also carrying a Nike back pack. Photo: NZ Police
Police do not believe the robbery is part of an emerging trend in the town.
Dairies in Auckland and several in Nelson have been targeted by thieves over the past year, prompting further action from police and local authorities concerned at the level of increasing violence.
Acting detective sergeant Jason Hillgrove of the Blenheim Police said the shopkeeper was uninjured in this morning's robbery but was left shaken.
He said the offender was wearing a grey sweat shirt, a dark coloured hood covering his face and Adidas track pants. He was also carrying a Nike back pack.
Mr Hillgrove said it was the first robbery of a dairy in the town for some time.
Police are asking anyone who may have any information in relation to the robbery to contact the Blenheim Police or alternatively the public can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
