Liquor store widow calls for gun ban

Police at the scene of yesterday's attempted robbery in Swanson. Photo / Herald on Sunday

A shop assistant was held at gunpoint last night - prompting the widow of a slain liquor store owner to call for imitation firearms to be banned from sale.

Two men believed to be in their teens used a pistol in a daylight robbery before physically assaulting the young woman.

The pistol is believed to be an airgun although police do not know for sure.

After the 5.15pm assault, the men escaped on foot from the Supersave and Speciality Store $2 in Swanson, West Auckland.

Police Inspector Ian Byrn said it was too early to say if anything had been stolen. The woman was treated by ambulance staff at the scene.

Slain liquor store owner Navtej Singh's widow Harjinder Kaur said, "BB guns are actually similar to real guns so they should not be sold so freely."

Singh was shot and killed with a .22 rifle in an armed robbery at his store in Manurewa. One of the six robbers was found guilty of murder.

"Police should have the power to stop people from buying these guns," said Harjinder.

"I mean, not only are families feeling helpless in this country but the police are helpless, too.

"People say police shouldn't carry guns - but how can they protect themselves?"

Anti-gun lobbyist Philip Alpers said: "Police ... can't tell the difference between an imitation Glock [pistol] and a real Glock."

Green Party MP Keith Locke said pressure needed to be placed on those who imported and sold the imitation weapons before a serious injury occurred.

"There are a number of problems around, there's the problem of the police mistaking the gun for a real one and somebody could get hurt."

The robbery was one of a series of violent incidents at shops in the area in the past few weeks.

John and Doreen Wilson, who own the neighbouring Lotto shop, have been robbed three times in 22 years.

Last Sunday they found five bullet marks on one of their shop windows. The couple suspect the damage was caused by an airgun.

"We can't stop living just because someone may be going to harm you."

A takeaway bar owner, who gave his name only as Farid, said there was an attempted mugging last week at a hole-in-the-wall cash machine.

He is considering installing cameras.

Last September members of the police armed offenders squad swooped on two Auckland suburbs after two incidents, one triggered by a fake firearm and the other by an airgun.