An off-duty police officer has been taken to hospital after being injured while intervening in a jewellery store robbery involving a group of armed thieves in central Auckland.
A witness who saw the getaway car fleeing down the street said one person detained after the incident looked to be a child about 10 or 11.
Six people used weapons to gain entry to the store this evening, understood to be The Hour Glass on Queen St, and stole two bags of jewellery.
But members of the public and the off-duty officer jumped in to stop the robbers, managing to recover the two bags.
"The officer was hit in the head by one of the offenders and was taken to hospital with moderate injuries," a police spokeswoman said.
"The jeweller is still working to determine if all items stolen have been accounted for."
One person was apprehended at the scene and inquiries are ongoing to locate the outstanding offenders.
Local woman Evie Aitcheson was with her partner and their 10-week-old baby when they saw a small blue Honda fleeing down the road with about three balaclava-clad people inside.