Two robberies show similar hallmarks

Masked men robbed a security guard at gunpoint in a daylight raid similar to a recent heist at an Auckland girls' high school.

The armed robbery happened shortly after 1pm on Tuesday when an Armourguard security van collected the daily takings from the Arthur's Bar and Grill in Onehunga.

Two men fled in a stolen green Toyota with a security box holding cash, abandoning the getaway car in nearby Spring St.

Police believe the two men, possibly with a driver and another accomplice, ran through residential properties with the cash box to a second getaway car parked on Galway St.

Detective Sergeant Grant Tetzlaff urged anyone who saw a white, four-door saloon-type car, possibly a Mitsubishi or Mazda, to call police.

He confirmed that police believed the same men may have committed a similar daylight robbery at Epsom Girls Grammar nearly three weeks ago.

Police had recovered the stolen black box, which held around $3000 of school money, that was found unlocked and empty by a member of the public. Mr Tetzlaff asked the public to be vigilant for the identical security box, made from reinforced plastic, stolen in Tuesday's robbery.

Bruce Lochore, of Northern Hospitality, which owns Arthur's Bar, said thousands of dollars had been spent improving security in the group's 34 bars in recent months. He noted that the robbery happened outside the bar.

An Armourguard spokeswoman said the guard had been offered counselling. The attack was the third time an Armourguard van had been held up this year.

"Armourguard is currently putting in place additional measures aimed at further reinforcing the safety of its staff and countering what appears to be an emerging spate of low value cash consignment robberies," she said.

Witnesses can contact Detective Sergeant Grant Tetzlaff on 09 524 1924