KEY POINTS:
The owner of a Wainuiomata dairy says an armed robber who stole about $300 yesterday was not the first to have pointed a gun at him in the store.
A man entered the Gemini Dairy on the corner of Meremere St and Parkway about noon yesterday and bought an item.
He returned 40 minutes later and pulled a gun on owner Shankar Patel.
"He just said 'give me the money, give me the money'. I wasn't going to argue with him, so I just handed it over," Mr Patel told the Dominion Post.
Detective Sergeant Scott Cooper said Mr Patel "did the right thing" by complying with the robber's demands.
A police spokeswoman said there was some concern about the gun as it appeared to be a semi-automatic glock pistol - the same as that issued to police.
Mr Patel said he had been scared but it had not put him off returning to work today.
The experience had reminded him of another incident 10 years ago when two youths entered the store armed with a rifle, demanding money.
The pair were unsuccessful as Mr Patel grabbed the gun and sent them packing.
Police are calling for information on yesterday's robbery.
The offender was described as Maori or Polynesian, in his 20s, about 1.8m tall, of medium build, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, a black and white checked scarf covering the lower part of his face and dark coloured jeans and carrying a grey or light coloured backpack.
- NZPA
