Store owner Charanjit Dhillon told the Rotorua Daily Post he left briefly to get some dinner around 8.55pm, leaving one staff member who had been working for him for six months.
The man was concealing his face with a dark-green mask, while in a grey hoodie, black pants and shoes. Photo / Supplied
At 9.01pm, a man walked into the store with an axe, threatening the staff member and demanding money.
The entire ordeal lasted two minutes.
Anyone with information that could help identify the man pictured is urged to call Police on 105 and quote file number 200717/6853.
The man was concealing his face with a dark-green mask, while in a grey hoodie, black pants and shoes. Photo / Supplied
Alternatively, they can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Dhillon owned five Bottle-O's in the city and said this was the third time in 13 years across all his liquor stores there had been an aggravated robbery.
The man was concealing his face with a dark-green mask, while in a grey hoodie, black pants and shoes. Photo / Supplied
The last time was five years ago when a woman with a knife robbed the store, the time before that was 10 years ago when a man with a "big knife" came into the store.
A police spokeswoman said police were called just after 9pm to an armed robbery at the liquor store.
The man was concealing his face with a dark-green mask, while in a grey hoodie, black pants and shoes. Photo / Supplied
The man was concealing his face with a dark-green mask, while in a grey hoodie, black pants and shoes. Photo / Supplied