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Police have appealed for witnesses after a man robbed a petrol station with a molotov cocktail.
The man went into the Challenge Service Station on Hills Road and Avalon Street in Christchurch at about 9pm on Saturday, and demanded money from the sole attendant.
The man threatened to blow up the station while holding a brown beer bottle in his hand, flicking a lighter and holding the flame near the wick.
The attendant handed over the money and the man took off in waiting four-door silver Subaru.
The vehicle was found in the Caledonian Hotel carpark set on fire about five minutes later.
Police have appealed to any witnesses who were near the service station or the Caledonian Hotel at the time.
They are also asking for anyone who may have found a brown glass bottle with any type of cloth wick between the two locations.
The incident followed another the night before, when a man held up Hell Pizza on Ferry Road about 10pm, demanding money while attempting to light what looked like a molotov cocktail.
He drove away from the scene in a silver Subaru station wagon with a small amount of money.
The man was described as a Caucasian aged in his 30s, about 175cm tall and of skinny build.
He was wearing black jeans, a black hoodie and had decaying or missing teeth.
- NZPA
