Armed robber strikes North Shore bowling alley in ‘broad bloody daylight’

A brazen armed robber and his getaway driver remain at large after striking a bowling alley and pokie room in Auckland’s Wairau Park shopping complex.

A witness, who was playing the pokies at the time and did not want to be named, said the armed man burst in about 5.45pm on Tuesday.

“It happened in broad bloody daylight,” the witness said.

“A single guy came in with a weapon. There were three staff at the counter when he came in and they were really distressed afterwards.

“They came into the pokies room and told us they’d just been held up and we had to go. There were about half a dozen of us in the pokies room.”

The witness believed the man had a getaway driver waiting outside the Link Dr shopping complex.

“I think there was someone waiting for him outside in the car park. The cops arrived as I was leaving.”

Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Nimmo, of the Waitematā CIB, said an investigation was under way into the aggravated robbery.

He confirmed cash was taken before the robber fled in a waiting vehicle. No one was injured, Nimmo said.

“While no arrests have been made at this stage, police are following positive lines of inquiry into the matter.”

The armed robber arrived before sundown on Monday at the bowling alley in Wairau Park shopping centre. Photo / file

The alley’s owner was unable to be reached for comment at time of writing.

Anyone with information was asked to contact police via 105 or via their online portal, quoting file number 230926/9833.

Tips can also be supplied anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.