Armed men rob Hamilton bar

The robbers were caught on a CCTV security scan, rifling through the bar's safe.

Robbers armed with a knife and a hammer burst into a Hamilton bar and marched two female staff into an office before stealing money from the tills and a safe.

The alleged offenders entered the side door of the Quadrant Bar on the corner of Victoria and Alma streets about 10pm yesterday, Detective Sergeant Will Loughrin said.

"The bar was being closed at the time and the two offenders, who were armed with a knife and a hammer, marched the two female bar staff into the office area before accessing the bar's safe and tills," he said.

"Making off with a sum of cash, the offenders fled down Alma St towards the Waikato River walkway. A responding police dog and handler tracked the offenders to the Claudelands Rd Bridge where the scent was lost."

Along the way, officers noticed a trail of coins which led them to trays taken from the bar's tills, Mr Loughrin said.

The scene was being forensically examined, along with the till trays and a hammer recovered from the bar's office.

Police were hoping to identify the alleged offenders from the distinctive shorts one of them was wearing.

"The first offender, who was armed with the hammer, was described as a male Maori or Pacific Islander aged in his early 20s wearing NRL shorts and a light coloured hooded sweatshirt," Mr Loughrin said.

"The second offender was described as being a male Caucasian or light-skinned Maori wearing a dark-coloured hooded sweatshirt. This man was said to be armed with a knife."

Anyone who recognised the alleged offenders, or had information on the robbery, was asked to contact Mr Loughrin on 021 190 2963.

Meanwhile, Hamilton police were also seeking the public's help in locating a man wanted for breaches of release conditions and the theft of two cars, one of which was allegedly used in a TAB robbery last month.

Mr Loughrin said a warrant had been issued for the arrest of 40-year-old Michael Douglas Edmonds, who also goes by the names of Herimiah Neho, Onyx Bayliss and Markus Strongman.

Police warned he was possibly armed and should not be approached.

Edmonds was described as a 1.77m tall Maori man of solid build.

"Edmonds is known to have contacts throughout Northland and the Waikato. If you see him we urge you not to approach him but to ring 111," Mr Loughrin said.

Anyone who knew his whereabouts could contact Detective Constable Anthony Hodgson on 07 858 6200 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.