Fire threat in shop robbery

The robber fled the pharmacy on a Ducati motorcycle similar to this. Photo / Supplied

Police say a pharmacist is lucky to be alive after a robber doused him in petrol and threatened to set him alight.

Alabaster's Pharmacy owner Alan Alabaster was at work in the upmarket Christchurch suburb of Merivale when a man wearing a full-face helmet entered the store about 1pm yesterday.

While robbing Alabaster of cash he poured petrol over him and threatened to set him on fire.

Alabaster managed to run from the pharmacy to a nearby shop to alert police.

Last night he was recovering at home but was still in a state of shock.

His wife Maureen Alabaster said it had been a "tough" day.

"He's doing well, he's fine. We're just going to relax and watch the Crusaders play the Highlanders," she said.

The robber left the pharmacy and rode off at speed on a $30,000 red Ducati 749 which he had parked in a nearby loading zone.

Detective Sergeant Paul Merrett said the Ducati, which had been reported stolen on Friday, was found by police soon after leaning against a fence in Abberley Park 1km from the pharmacy.

Merrett said Alabaster was not injured in the attack and did not require medical treatment.

"Understandably he is shocked by his ordeal. His wife was very concerned and all she wanted to do was get him home and look after him," he said. "There was real potential there for serious injury, that cannot be overstated."

Merrett said police were following severalleads.

In May 2007 a Christchurch service station attendant was doused in petrol and set alight by a 35-year-old man attempting to kill himself.

The Christchurch District Court heard that Jason Harrex poured petrol over the attendant as he smoked a cigarette and squirted another person who tried to intervene.

Staff managed to shut off the fuel pumps but Harrex lit a piece of paper and ignited the petrol. An off-duty fire officer who was at the service station put the fire out with extinguishers. Harrex was jailed for 25 months.