Fighting back against robbers is catching on

More members of the public appear to be fighting back during aggravated robberies - but it's a risky option and not one police are advocating.

In the past month there have been at least three cases where customers or store owners have challenged robbers. In two cases the members of the public were injured for their effort.

On Saturday night West Auckland man Nenad Dikanovic laughed and taunted an armed man who was trying to rob the Valley Wine Merchant in Henderson Valley.

The gunman then fired at shot into a wooden cabinet before his colleague attacked the 43-year-old who is now in a neckbrace.

Detective Jason McIntosh of the Henderson CIB, said people should do as they were told during an aggravated robbery rather than taking matters into their own hands.

"In a situation like this anyone confronted by offenders should do what they say."

Mr McIntosh said in the case of Saturday night's robbery the gunman only fired a shot after being challenged.

"One customer in the shop challenged the pair and this can simply aggravate the situation, especially when a firearm is involved."

However, despite the warning to comply with a gunman's demands, a situation on Sunday night proved that fighting back can work.

At about 8.30pm the owners of the Mercury Bay Foodmarket in Whitianga decided they were not going to let a man armed with a knife intimidate them or rob their store.

The owner said his father grabbed the man and they struggled to the floor as his wife hit the man with a pipe.

A customer then helped restrain the man who ended up being rendered unconscious.

Last month an Auckland woman received minor injuries after trying to help restrain one person in a group who were robbing a Ponsonby liquor store.

An employee was holding one of the four people and the woman tried to grab a second.

She was knocked against the wall and kicked on the ground.