Jewelz staff were left terrified when a masked man entered The Strand store, yelling and smashing display cabinets.
It was all Whakatāne jewellery store owner Angelia Le Sueur could do to throw what she had – cardboard boxes – at the man before seeking refuge in the back room.
Security cameras inside the store captured the entire incident and the deafening sound of glass smashing from 4.40pm on Friday.
The balaclava-clad man, wearing over-ear headphones, smashed about four cabinets with part of a car jack in one hand.
“It has been phenomenal; the people coming in, hugs, a few tears, flowers, chocolate, wine, doughnuts, baking, coffee. The gestures have just been very humbling.”
Police have appealed for help from the public following the robbery.
Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Wilson said the offender fled the scene towards Commerce St in a stolen silver Nissan Tiida with the registration plate FHE988.
The car had been stolen from the Kakahoroa Drive public car park earlier that day. It was later found by police on Hurinui Avenue in Whakatāne.
Police working to identify the offender were following positive lines of inquiry following a scene examination, Wilson said.
He would like to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious in the car park prior to the robbery.