"When he said that, another guy walked in and shut the door."
As the demands for cash grew increasingly agitated, Ms Tawera began to fear for her 10-month-old daughter, who was also in the office and began to cry, while three other children were in a nearby room.
"There's people going to be here soon. I've got kids, there's no need to be doing this," Ms Tawera told the two intruders.
"Then I tried to get to my girl when one of them said 'shut the f*** up b**** or I'll knock you out'." The men, described as Maori, one wearing a black hoodie and black shorts with a lizard or dragon tattoo on his neck and another on his lower left leg, began ransacking the office looking for more cash.
Ms Tawera was then forced against her desk and "patted down" as the culprits, one wearing a grey hoodie, searched for her wallet, eventually finding $180.
Fleeing the office, the two men were chased by Ms Tawera, who wanted to "see if they had a getaway car", but the robbers ran through a nearby alleyway.
A shaken Ms Tawera, worried the men would return, phoned her mum who was making paua fritters at a family tangi.
"I just dropped the paua," Ruth Tawera said.
"I just knew, you know how you can tell through your kid's voice that something is not right."
Ruth and the police arrived shortly after to console Ms Tawera, who was thankful none of the children were harmed.
Police said yesterday they were still hunting the two offenders responsible for the robbery and urged anyone with information to come forward.
*Anyone with information is asked to phone Hastings police on 06 873 0500. Information can also be provided anonymously by phoning Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.