Suppression for woman charged with kidnapping Hastings 87-year-old

A woman has been arrested and charged with kidnapping after an incident in Hastings Countdown carpark

A 35-year-old woman charged with the kidnapping and robbery of an 87-year-old man in Hastings has been temporary granted name suppression.

The woman appeared in Hastings District Court today before a Justice of the Peace charged with aggravated robbery and kidnapping.

She was remanded in custody to reappear on August 31. No plea was entered and the JP granted interim name suppression.

The arrest was made after a police investigation that included the public release of security camera images of a suspect.

The investigation began after an 87-year-old regular customer of Countdown Hastings was forced into the back of his car on July 28 in the supermarket's carpark and driven to ATM machines to withdraw cash.

Police are also looking for another person involved in the incident.

Anyone with information is urged to contact their local police station or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Donations, well-wishes and offers of support flooded in for the retiree following the attack. Tremains Community Trust also donated $1000.

Age Concern in Flaxmere gifted a small audible personal alarm to the man as part of its Stay Safe project.

Countdown Hastings store manager Richard O'Mahony has said, ''Like all New Zealanders, we were shocked to hear about what happened and our thoughts are with the man involved."