Police arrest man, 45, after gunpoint robbery of security van, Kawerau

Police presence at the block of shops on Onslow St in Kawerau. Photo / Supplied

A 45-year-old man has been arrested in relation to a gunpoint robbery at an ATM in Kawerau, earlier this week.

Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Wilson said police executed a search warrant at a residential address in Kawerau this morning with members of the armed offenders squad.

The man has been arrested and charged with aggravated robbery and was scheduled to appear in Whakatāne District Court on Monday, Wilson said.

He said inquiries into the incident remained ongoing and police had not ruled-out further arrests and charges.

"We hope today's result provides assurance to the community that we are working hard to hold those who participate in unlawful behaviour to account."

Police continued to encourage anyone who has information regarding the incident to get in touch via 105 and quote file number 220906/5203.

A person who worked in a strip of Kawerau shops where security staff refilling an ATM were robbed at gunpoint described the incident as "pretty scary".

The aggravated robbery at the ATM on Onlsow St was reported to police about 8.45am on Tuesday.

The security staff had left their security van when they were confronted by a gun-wielding man, who stole an unspecified quantity of cash.

The man left in a maroon-coloured Nissan Maxima.

A man from a local shop said he was not at work when the incident happened but heard about it when he started his shift several hours later.

Despite the area having returned to "pretty normal" by then, the robbery had left some including himself shaken, he said.

"It's pretty scary."

The man said he was aware of a house that had been robbed at gunpoint recently, and to learn of this alleged gunpoint robbery was concerning.

A Fire and Emergency spokesman said one appliance from Kawerau was called to a vehicle fire about 10.40am on Tuesday. They directed all other inquiries to NZ Police.