Woman bashed in Waikato petrol station robbery

A woman was hospitalised after she was assaulted during an aggravated robbery of a service station in Ngaruawahia overnight .

Detective Raymond Sunkel of Huntly CIB said a female store attendant at the Shell Ngaruawahia Garage was taken to Waikato Hospital to be checked following a traumatic ordeal which began about 9.20pm.

"The woman saw two young men wearing balaclavas walk across the forecourt and tried to lock the sliding doors into the store but was unable to, she has then retreated into a corner behind the counter."

Mr Sunkel said one of the men who was wearing a blue top struck the woman on her left arm with a baton "of some description" before climbing on to the counter and emptying the contents of the till into a black backpack before stealing some tobacco.

The second man threatened the woman with a large knife before the pair ran off.

"As could be expected of anyone confronted by this type of ordeal, the victim was severely shaken up and taken to Waikato Hospital to be checked and has since been referred to Victim Support."

Mr Sunkel said police were very concerned about the risk the two men, described as Maori males aged between 16 and their early twenties, posed to the public and asked for anyone with information on their identities to contact police.

Police suspected the pair were locals as the men carried out the robbery close to the garage's closing time.

"We're confident with the support we've had already from the local community that we'll be able to make a quick arrest, and we're asking those involved to surrender themselves to police to minimise any further risk," said Mr Sunkel.

- NZPA