Military and outdoor equipment store on K’ Road robbed, staff assaulted

Two men have been arrested following the “blatant” daylight robbery of a military and outdoor equipment store on Karangahape Rd in Auckland.

Dramatic security camera footage showed two men entering the Army and Outdoors NZ store around 3.45pm, grabbing two backpacks, filling them up with items they wanted to steal and assaulting a staff member. One of the robbers was seen punching the staff member before leaving the store.

A 28-year-old has since been arrested and charged with assault with intent to injure and aggravated robbery.

The other involved in the robbery, wearing a white hat, black hoodie and dark pants, remains at large and police enquiries are continuing.

According to police, a second man, 42, has also been arrested on a charge of receiving the stolen property.

Both are due to appear in Auckland District Court on Monday.

CCTV footage shows two men, both wearing caps and black tops - one in shorts and the other in red pants - walking out of the store with the backpacks.

Police say they were informed of the robbery around 4pm.

“The offender took some items from the store and left the scene before police arrived,” a police spokeswoman said.

“No weapons were involved and the items taken were clothing.”

The robber punches the shop assistant. Photo / Supplied

“Two guys came in, took two backpacks off the wall and just started filling them up,” store owner Jason Robinson told the Herald.

”When challenged by my staff, they were assaulted. What was interesting is how blatant it was.“

Robinson said one of his staff went outside to see where the two men went, and they were assaulted down the alleyway.

”Afterwards, we found out they did have a weapon,” he said.

There were two assailants who made off with some stolen property. Photo / Supplied

Robinson said the pair were trying to flog the items they stole to members of the public on K’ Road.

According to him, police said the men were known to them and that they’d been repeatedly charged and released.

”They’d assaulted others on K’ Road and knocked over a 65-year-old man,“ Robinson claimed.

”It’s a repeating cycle. People need to be made aware of the limitations of the justice system and the time it takes to arrest people.

“I’ve been here for nine years, and the escalation on K’ Road is getting so bad. It’s so blatant now.”