67-year-old woman bound, beaten and robbed

A Northland woman was tied up and repeatedly punched at her home by masked raiders who robbed her and took her car. File photo / Thinkstock

Robbers bashed, bound and robbed a 67-year-old woman in her home in the third aggravated robbery in Kaipara in a month.

The woman was tied up and repeatedly punched at her home by masked raiders who robbed her and took her car.

Just after midnight on Saturday night the woman who runs a bed and breakfast from her Norton St home, 12km from Dargaville, was watching TV in her lounge when three masked men burst in on her.

One of the offenders grabbed the woman and pulled her into the kitchen where he demanded her car keys, credit cards and pin numbers.

Police say the man punched the woman several times in the head, knocking her to the ground. He and another man tied the woman's hands and feet with rope while a third man searched through the house before all three left in her car - a red Mitsubishi RVR registration number CQU411.

The woman managed to loosen the ropes and called 111.

Police and ambulance found the woman shaken, but otherwise uninjured. All three men were wearing dark clothing - either beanies or hoodies with cloth covering the lower part of their faces.

One offender is described as a Maori man, aged between 20-22 years, about 180cm tall, of slim build and softly spoken.

Police say the stolen cards have not been used.

Acting Dargaville Senior Sergeant Maria Nordstrom said she was concerned at the recent spike of violent crime in Kaipara.

Dargaville's Top Shop owner Sue Prior had been targeted twice in the last week.

Early last Tuesday Ms Prior was confronted by two men, one carrying a small crowbar, demanding and taking money.

She was not home on Saturday night when her establishment was hit again - the till smashed and emptied.

On May 17, two men armed with a gun robbed Distinction Jewellers in Dargaville's main street during the day.

The robbers took hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of items.

Yesterday, proprietor Brian Burnett said he and his staff were "still very jumpy after the experience, especially if an unknown face comes into the store".

"I have serious concerns for local businesses. Everyone needs to remain vigilant.

"I think its important businesses front up with CCTV coverage, but it's not just business owners who need to take responsibility ... it's a social and community responsibility, too.

"We also hope the Kaipara council will consider some sort of financial assistance to help with surveillance."

Ms Nordstrom warned people to take extra care with security and locking up themselves and property. She urged people to report anything suspicious, no matter how small, by dialling 111. Alternatively people could leave messages on the police answerphone - 09 439 3400 - as this was monitored after hours.

People who wanted to report information anonymously could also phone the Crimestopper line 0800-555-111.