Crime scene: Knife drawn in shop

This man is alleged to have drawn a knife on the owners of a jewellery store in Papatoetoe, then run out of the shop and escape down an alleyway.

A man who seemed very interested in expensive jewellery frightened a store owner and his wife when he drew a knife on them. The incident happened at Roop Shinjaar Jewellers in Papatoetoe at about 12.40pm on February 27.

The man had been in the shop for about 20 minutes, asking about the value and quality of gold rings, and the shop owners were growing suspicious and asked the man to leave. He then produced the knife and tried to get away through the back of the shop, terrifying the owner's wife and risking the safety of the couple's daughter who was sleeping there.

The man then made his escape empty-handed through the front of the shop and ran down a small alleyway between 155 and 157 Great South Rd.

He is described as 30 to 35, 1.83m (6ft), with long black hair tied back in a bun, a goatee and sideburns. He wore black jeans, a navy denim jacket with a black T-shirt underneath, sneakers, and a watch on his right wrist. Phone Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Lynch at Mangere CIB on (09) 250-0500.