Daylight robbery: West Auckland Michael Hill jewellers is latest smash and grab target

A Michael Hill store at Auckland’s LynnMall has become the latest target of an aggravated burglary, with two males carrying out a raid this morning.

A police spokesperson said two males wearing masks entered the store about 11.15am armed with hammers. They smashed display cases and took several items.

“They left the shopping centre via the underground carpark onto Totara Ave, driving a black Toyota Mark X. The car had been stolen from a Massey address earlier today.”

Anyone who has information that could assist in identifying and locating these offenders is asked to contact police via 105 and quote event number P057252900.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

An employee from a nearby shop said two “kids” came in with facemasks and hoodies, smashed the glass in Michael Hill and then ran off.

“It was just a big bang, they had something to break the glass with and people were yelling.”

She said three security guards ran after the pair but didn’t catch them.

“I think they came in through the door of McDonald’s and ran out the same way.”

The LynnMall store was hit by another smash and grab in July this year, in which a black hoodie-wearing man repeatedly bashed the front glass counter with a large rock in an attempt to steal gems.

In April, the jeweller made the tough call to permanently close its Takapuna store, which was the most ram-raided in its network.

Last year the company unveiled its new fog cannons at the New Lynn branch and announced heightened security measures, including using a DNA tracking spray, in stores across New Zealand in response to a spate of robberies and smash and grabs that have targeted its stores.

The cannon can be triggered by a button that staff members wear on a lanyard. It pumps out a non-toxic mist that reduces visibility to a distance of about 30cm.

Michael Hill demonstrated how its fog cannons work at its LynnMall store, one of a raft of new security measures following a recent spate of robberies across the city. Photo / Carson Bluck

Michael Hill chief financial officer Andrew Lowe said the cannons were mainly being installed in Auckland stores because most robberies “have been Auckland-focused”.

Fog cannons had already been installed in several stores, Lowe said. Installation costs up to $6000 but varies depending on the store.

He had not seen a fog cannon operate in person but had watched them activate on video.

“I’ve seen that we’ve had a couple activate, one in Vulcan Lane and one of our other stores, but they were for incidents in the middle of the night, not when we had people around and also in a closed environment. We’ve got grilles here in the stores in LynnMall.”