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St Lukes thieves arrested after fleeing on train

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Sun, 4 Aug 2019, 3:54PM
Cops at St Lukes Mall where reports of gun shot at Michael Hi jeweller. (Photo / Jacqui Robertson)
Cops at St Lukes Mall where reports of gun shot at Michael Hi jeweller. (Photo / Jacqui Robertson)

St Lukes thieves arrested after fleeing on train

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Sun, 4 Aug 2019, 3:54PM

The offenders responsible for an aggravated robbery at an Auckland mall fled in a stolen car, and then took public transport.

Three males have been taken into custody, after stealing a large quantity of jewellery from Michael Hill Jewellers, at the St Lukes Mall.

Police say they fled in a stolen car, later found abandoned at a nearby train station.

They then took a train towards the city, getting off in Kingsland, before heading westbound on a train to Ranui.

Police apprehended the offenders in a street near the train station.

One person remains outstanding and enquiries are ongoing to locate them.

It comes after the four men robbed the Michael Hill and attempted to rob another jewellers, Silvermoon Luxe.

Panicked shoppers initially thought a gunman was firing shots at about 3.25pm but the noise is now believed to have been glass shattering at Michael Hill .

Police say they are aware of reports of a gun but believe the offenders were armed with bats and a hammer.

A Michael Hill staff member told the Herald the store had been robbed this afternoon but said she didn't see a gun.

The assistant manager of Pascoes jewellery store at St Luke's, Maninder Kaur, said the thieves tried to break into the Silvermoon store after robbing Michael Hill Jeweller.

Kaur said she closed her shop for about 10 minutes.

"We were closed because the customers were so panicked. Some people from outside started coming inside so we just closed the door."

Kaur said the noise sounded like a gunshot.

"It was a very heavy sound. You have to have something strong hitting at the glass."

People on social media said there were evacuations and up to six police cars and a police helicopter were at the scene.

An employee at Godfreys across the road said he had seen one police car going into the mall. He could see a group of people milling around outside at the lights and outside the door. People seemed calm, he said. "It doesn't feel like anyone is rushing."

Sophie, who didn't want her last name used, told the Herald she was in Farmers with a friend when she heard strange noises.

They sounded like gun blasts or glass breaking she said.

"I went outside looked down and saw a couple of stores were closing their roller-doors and people were running," she said.

"When I heard those noises my heart was absolutely pounding and I didn't know what was going on.

"Once it had calmed down a shopper told me they believed someone had gone into Michael Hill Jewellers wearing white masking and were smashing up the displays to take the jewellery out of them."

A police spokesperson said the offenders took a "quantity of jewellery before fleeing the scene".

There are no reports of injuries and police are working to identify and locate the offenders.

Police are aware of reports a firearm was also present but the spokesperson said this has not been confirmed.

Sophie said there was no announcement over the loudspeakers about the incident and wondered if shoppers at the other end of the mall were aware of what even happened.

After speaking to the Herald, Sophie went back towards Michael Hill and said cabinets were shattered and police officers were on site.

 

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