Two aggravated robberies which occurred within minutes of each other in the Waikato are not linked, police say.
In the first incident, at Z Ngatea about 4.20am today, Waikato police senior sergeant Robbie Hermann said the group of offenders -- one armed with an iron bar -- smashed in the door before taking an unknown quantity of cigarettes and cash from the scene.
The staff member who was working at the time managed to lock himself in a nearby room and was uninjured.
Mr Hermann said five people were involved in that robbery but it's still being determined how many offenders went into the service station as well as their descriptions.
Police found the car used in the robbery - which had been earlier stolen from Auckland - dumped in the town. The group then fled in another vehicle.
