Boy, 12, 'high on meth' tried to rob shop with gun

Kaitaia's North Road Dairy was closed yesterday while the police gathered evidence.

The woman dairy owner who chased away a pair of teenage robbers with a broom, one of whom was armed, screamed so loudly she lost her voice.

Dipika Patel, was in the North Road Dairy with her two boys, 13 and 17, when two teens with covered faces entered the store demanding money at 8:35pm on Sunday.

While her older son went to call the cops, she picked up a broom and began shouting and waving at the culprits, aged 12 and 15.

Today, speaking to the Herald in a rather hoarse voice, Mrs Patel said she was scared.

"I was just screaming, yelling, go away, I chased them away with the stick."

The younger boy, the one believed to have been holding the gun, got away with some sweets, but was taken into police custody a short time later.

Police believe he may have been under the influence of methamphetamine at the time.

Both boys are facing charges of aggravated robbery, while the 12-year-old will also be charged with assaulting and resisting police.

Detective Richard Garton believed the rifle was not loaded at the time and no ammunition was found when the address the teen had been at was searched.

Both boys, who covered their lower faces before entering the dairy, had been at an address in nearby Matthews Ave with six other young people. No adults were present, police said.

They then walked the short distance to the dairy, attracting the attention of a local probation officer as they entered the shop.

The younger boy allegedly presented the rifle at the shopkeeper and demanded money, stuffing sweets into his pockets as he did so.

The probation officer saw the boys fleeing and called the police, who found them at the Matthews Ave address.

There police said they were abused by the other young people, who locked the doors and windows.

Entry was forced and the two suspected offenders were found, along with the rifle and the clothes they had been wearing.

Police said the 12-year-old spat at a police officer, punching him in the face twice and kicking him in the mouth.

The boys were suspected to have been under the influence of methamphetamine.

The dairy was closed Monday morning while the victims were speaking to police and evidence was collected from the scene.

Inquiries are also being made into how the boy came to have a firearm.