Mr Whippy beaten and robbed

Mr Whippy franchise owner Steve Wright says the attack was traumatic for the driver, who has not worked since. Photo / Alan Gibson

A Mr Whippy icecream truck driver was beaten and robbed after refusing to hand over a free cone.

The driver was selling icecreams in Kawerau, 32km southwest of Whakatane, when a young man among a gang of several youths approached him and asked for a free icecream.

It is believed to be the first attack on a Mr Whippy driver in the franchise's 47 years of trading.

But when the driver refused and hopped in the front seat to drive away, the man leapt in through the service window and threw a bottle at him, Detective Darryn Gabb of Kawerau police said.

The driver was then punched repeatedly, leaving him with cuts and bruises to his face and head.

Edgecumbe franchise owner Steve Wright told the Herald his employee was hit in the face by the flying bottle and then held down on the floor as a youth stole about $600 from the till.

Police investigating last Wednesday night's attack are still hunting the youth, described as a Maori of thin to medium build aged about 16 to 20 years old and wearing a red scarf covering his face, a dark hat and dark jacket.

Mr Wright, who is offering a reward of $100 to anyone who can provide police with information that will lead to the attacker's conviction, said officers had told him they were confident of catching the youth.

The driver is still recovering and has not returned to work since the incident, which has prompted Mr Wright to install security cameras in his trucks.

"He's fine now, he's okay. He was pretty glum for a while, as obviously they had hurt his feelings and it was pretty traumatic for him.

"He's a sensitive sort of person - he sells icecreams.

"It's really hurt everyone quite terribly," Mr Wright said. "I've been in the business for 20-something years and this is the first time I've ever known this to happen."

A Mr Whippy spokeswoman described the attack as "very tragic".