Machete and knife at centre of Napier robberies

One of the three men holding the machete outside the Meeanee Store, the scene of an aggravated robbery early yesterday morning.

A store owner has described being held up by three masked robbers wielding a machete and a knife.

Napier store owner Kirti Patel was just starting his day and opening up the Meeanee shop at 5.30am when he was approached by three men.

"I was putting the sign boards out at the front of the shop when three masked men with a machete and knife came running towards me."

Mr Patel grabbed the boards and started to defend himself as the two men, one with a machete and one with a knife, took swipes.

While this was going on the other offender ran into the store and jumped on the counter to get the cigarettes.

Mr Patel's wife Rupai and daughter Komai came running into the store after they heard screaming outside the front of the shop.

"I was sleeping upstairs and woke to yelling," said Mrs Patel. "I raced to the phone and called the police but by the time I got down there it was all over. It took about 54 seconds for them to do their job."

A passer-by saw Mr Patel fighting off the offenders and chased them towards Meeanee School but was unable to catch them.

Mr Patel, in his battle of self defence, was left with deep cuts to his hand and leg.

"I didn't realise at the time until after they had gone I just saw a lot of blood. I went to the hospital and got stitches."

Mrs Patel said the offenders took packets of tobacco, as they were unable to get into the cabinet where the cigarettes were.

The police spokesman said the trio ran to a black sedan parked on Gavin Black St and were seen to drive towards Maltby St.

"The males are possibly aged in their late teens to early 20s and they were wearing dark clothing, including hoodies and scarves over their faces."

Meanwhile, earlier that night, two men forced open the front door at Caltex and threatened the sole night attendant with a machete.

A Caltex spokesman said a man was wielding a machete and demanded cash from the till.

"The attendant acted and did what he was well-trained to do so used his common sense and handed the cash from the till over to the pair."

The Caltex spokesman who has been in the industry a long time said the men got away with only about $130.

"People still think service stations hold a lot of cash but these days we don't, that is not the case anymore."

"I just hope that the amount of money they took from us is worth the amount of time inside."

The police spokesman said after getting a small amount of cash the offenders got into a in an unidentified car before leaving the petrol station.

Both robberies involved a machete but police are unable to state if they are connected at this stage.

If anyone has information on either of these two robberies people are asked to contact Hawke's Bay Police on 06 873 0500 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.