Auckland jewellery stores latest targets in a spate of robberies

Police are investigating yet another jewellery store robbery in Auckland this afternoon, one of several over the last month.

Two men armed with a gun and a hammer entered the Saint Johns' shop just before 1pm today.

They used the gun to make threats toward staff members before smashing the counters with the hammer. The gun was not fired, police said.

Both men then fled the scene in a vehicle.

Inquiries into the incident are still ongoing, police said.

Across town, another jewellery store was targeted, this time in Grey Lynn.

Four people entered Diamonds on Richmond with weapons just after 4.45pm, using them to smash the glass counters to retrieve the jewellery.

The thieves left in a car which was later located abandoned on Farrar St.

Stolen items were located inside the vehicle.

Police said inquiries into the incident are still ongoing.

Today's incidents come after a spate of robberies that have targeted jewellers over the last month.

On Monday, jewellery wholesaler TJ Handcrafted was another target in a daylight smash-and-grab.

Two men similarly used a hammer to break the glass counters of the store before fleeing in a car.

In a second incident across town the same day, shoppers were also left terrified after up to a dozen people attempted to break into the Michael Hill store at Lynn Mall in New Lynn.

Eyewitnesses told the Herald the perpetrators were armed with large hammers, crowbars and sticks.

They fled the scene after realising they could not break into the store.

Last week, shoppers were left shocked when robbers shattered glass cabinets at Michael Hill in the Newmarket Westfield mall.

Police said at the time the offenders left the scene in a silver Mazda Atenza, which was found abandoned in Almorah Place a short time later.

And last month a Michael Hill store on the corner of Hurstmere and Lake Rds in Takapuna was the target of a daytime robbery.

Police later arrested a 20-year-old man and charged him with receiving stolen property.

Some of the goods were returned to the store.