A man sent to jail for robbing a petrol station with a machete just over two years ago has again committed a hold up.
Mitchell Winiata, 21, of Tauranga robbed his local dairy recently - not long after being released from prison for robbing the Gull service station on Hewletts Rd on May 14, 2009. He was jailed for three years on September 29, 2009.
He told police after the latest robbery that he was having money problems so decided to rob Matua Food Market on Tilby Dr.
At 7.30pm on November 24, Winiata got his cousin to drop him off in a cul-de-sac near the shop. With his face covered with a blue T-shirt and wearing surgical gloves, Winiata walked into the store with a carving knife hidden up the sleeve of his hoody.
He approached the man working at the counter and held the knife in his hand until he saw a young boy nearby and place the knife under his hoody.