Would-be robbers thwarted again thanks to Kaiataia CCTV

CCTV is credited at stopping a potential crime at a service station.

Police are once again crediting Kaitaia's Building Safer Communities CCTV network with thwarting a "probable" attempt to rob a service station.

The service station attendant was advised to lock the doors after the camera monitor, at the police station, saw three Auckland men acting suspiciously at 9.30 on Thursday night.

At one point they tried to pump petrol into their car, but left when they discovered the bowser was set for pre-pay.

Eventually one of the trio took a $5 bag of mandarins and they left.

Police found the car in Kaitaia a short time later, and seized what was described as a mini Samurai sword that was under the passenger's seat. The thief returned to the service station to pay for the mandarins.

A police spokesman said there was very little doubt that the service station would have been robbed had the camera monitor not seen what was happening.

In November last year the cameras recorded two men who, according to police, were showing every sign of intending to rob the service station. The monitor followed the pair, from camera to camera, and alerted a patrol before they reached the service station, which was believed to be their target.

The attendant was advised and locked the doors, and the patrol arrived before the two men tried to enter. One was allegedly seen to take a knife from the rear waistband of his trousers and put it in a bag.

By that stage the police, including a dog handler, had been called.

The two men walked off but were again followed by the camera monitor as they made their way south along the main street, and police apprehended them near the fire station.

One of them, a 24-year-old local, was charged with possession of a knife in a public place, possession of an imitation firearm (found in his bag), possession of a methamphetamine utensil and preparing to commit a crime.