Wellington second-hand furniture store robbed

An armed woman robbed a Wellington second-hand furniture store today.

The woman, who was in disguise, threatened the store operator at Renown Furniture on Riddiford Street in Newtown with a knife, about 10.40am, Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Borrell of Wellington CIB said.

The woman demanded money be put in a bag she had brought with her.

She left the store with cash and was last seen running down Newtown Avenue, Mr Borrell said.

The store operator, although shaken, was not injured.

Mr Borrell said the woman was likely to have been hanging around in the area waiting for an opportunity when no customers were in the store.

"We would be very interested in hearing from anyone who was either in this store or in the immediate vicinity prior to this robbery and who may have seen the woman," Mr Borrell said.

"There appears to have been an element of desperation present and situations such as this where weapons are used carry an increased risk of innocent people being harmed."

The woman was described as Maori or Polynesian, wearing a dark gray hooded sweatshirt, jeans and a navy blue and white bandana pulled up over her mouth.

She was of a medium height, of a solid build, and estimated to be in her early 20s.

- NZPA