Auckland petrol station crime wave: Police visit 94 forecourts amid robbery spate

Auckland police have swooped on 94 petrol stations across the city overnight after five were targeted in a chaotic week of robberies and burglaries on forecourts from Warkworth to Tuakau.

In one robbery early on Monday, nine robbers stormed the counter of the Western Springs Caltex and chased the lone worker. Some of the assailants were armed with hammers.

Police are investigating five petrol station incidents since Sunday, including the armed robbery at Western Springs and another in Green Bay, along with burglaries of petrol stations in Papatoetoe, Glen Eden and Remuera, Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin says.

They are still hunting for most of the culprits behind five recent petrol station robberies and burglaries. Police say at least some of them could be the work of the same offenders and have linked the Western Springs robbery to an earlier robbery at a Mt Roskill TAB for which a teenager was recently arrested.

In the Counties Manukau District, police have made five arrests in relation to 10 aggravated robberies at petrol stations across South Auckland in December and January. All of those arrested are between 13 and 19, Baldwin said.

“As part of this we are investigating potential links between offenders involved in more than one of these offences,” Baldwin said.

“Our experience with these crime types is that generally offenders will be involved in more than one offence.”

West Auckland police have cordoned off the Caltex on West Coast Rd in Glen Eden after an aggravated burglary on Tuesday. Photo / Hayden Woodward

On Thursday, police said they had conducted 94 “prevention visits” to petrol stations across Auckland overnight.

“From Warkworth in the north, to Tuakau and Mercer in the south, our frontline staff have prioritised visiting forecourts and providing reassurance to staff working,” Baldwin said.

“One man was arrested for an unrelated matter while our staff were at one of the forecourts.

“Early feedback has been positive, and we will continue to conduct these patrols as part of our deployment.”

Separate to the spate of petrol station crime, police have arrested a teenager following the armed robbery of a Mt Roskill TAB on February 29.

“Late yesterday, a search warrant was executed at a Mt Roskill address where a 16-year-old male was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery,” Baldwin said.

“The investigation is developing well and further arrests are anticipated.”

Police say they have linked the TAB incident to the Western Springs armed robbery three days later.

“Like our community, Police are appalled at some of the violent behaviour that has been inflicted on people just doing their job,” Baldwin said.

“We will continue to work to hold offenders to account that are inflicting harm on businesses and their employees.”