Burger King, Hamilton robbed at gunpoint

Armed men robbed a Burger King restaurant in Hamilton last night.

Detective Sergeant Daryl Smith of the Hamilton CIB said staff at the Burger King restaurant in Chartwell's Lynden Court were cleaning up for the night when a worker was confronted by two men outside the rear of the premises.

"The investigation is in its formative stages at present but it appears the male worker has been taking rubbish out when he was jumped by two men, wearing dark clothes and scarves or balaclavas over their faces, and forced to take them into the back of the store.

"It is around this time the worker and his supervisor and two work colleagues have realised one of the offenders was armed with a firearm. The victims have complied with the robbers demands and the pair fled the store on foot with a large sum of cash."

Police set up cordons in surrounding streets and tracked the gunmen with a police dog before the scent was lost.

Mr Smith said investigators haven't ruled out the offenders may have had a car parked somewhere nearby to aid their escape.

Part of a shopping centre remained cordoned off this morning as police conducted a scene examination and looked at CCTV footage.

Police are appealing for the public to contact them if they have any information that can assist with their investigation.