"There were the biggest smiles when I told them about the arrest," Mr Lynch said.
"The police have done a great job. It was quick too."
The staff members were still off work but coping well under the circumstances, he said.
Court documents reveal more than $11,000 was taken as well as a quantify of alcohol.
Police accuse Cook of carrying out that robbery, with an as yet unknown accomplice, as well as a home invasion in Kamo on Tuesday.
They say he crashed his car into a stone wall, abandoned it, and entered the Three Mile Bush Rd home of a man in his 80s and a woman in her 60s.
He allegedly tried to tie up the couple, threatened them with a knife from their kitchen, and forced them to hand over the keys to their Ford Mondeo. The car was found abandoned at Haruru Falls on Wednesday.
Detective Inspector Kevin Burke, of Whangarei police, said both sets of victims were grateful for the arrest.
"They're still traumatised but they're grateful there has been a quick arrest. I think people sometimes don't appreciate the trauma and impact this has on the victims and what it takes to feel safe again in their own home."
Mr Burke said he was pleased an arrest had come so soon.
"This matter was able to be resolved quickly due to good information received from the community, who were appalled by this man's actions. Good, urgent police work has prevented further harm."
Police are still looking for the other offender in the tavern robbery as well as the rifle that was used.
The eight-day police search came to end about 2.15pm on Wednesday when police chased a car down Inlet and Shepherd Rds in Kerikeri.
A resident said she saw a stationwagon "belting down the road" at high speed with several police cars in pursuit. The driver abandoned the car and tried to flee on foot through an orchard.
Later police searched a stream and nearby properties for something the man was thought to have thrown away before he dumped the car.
- Patrick Michael Cook was remanded in custody when he appeared in the Kaikohe District Court yesterday. His next appearance will be in the Whangarei District Court on July 1.
He faces four charges of aggravated robbery and four charges of kidnapping in relation to the tavern robbery and the home invasion, as well as charges of burglary, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and attempted unlawful taking of a vehicle for the Kamo incident.
In relation to Wednesday's chase he was charged with dangerous driving, failing to stop, and driving while forbidden. Two more charges, possession of an offensive weapon (a tomahawk) and wilful damage, relate to an incident on May 2.
