Disturbing CCTV footage supplied to the Herald from an aggravated robbery over the weekend shows one young person's entire role in the crime was to catch it all on camera.

The three youths accused of holding up the North Shore liquor store at gunpoint filmed the entire robbery - and delivered a chilling message to the terrified worker as they left.

Last Saturday, three offenders, one as young as 14, allegedly robbed the Liquor Spot on target Road in Glenfield, Auckland, with an air rifle.

Manager Sumanth Sama was the only person working at the store, and said the experience was "very scary".

 

One of the alleged robbers filmed the incident. Photo / Supplied

He told the Herald the young alleged robbers presented the weapon as soon as they entered the store and, as he was being menaced by one assailant, another was grabbing alcohol from the shelves as a third filmed.

He told the Herald that he believed the air rifle was a "real gun".

Sama revealed that the store had been forced into putting in additional security measures after they were targeted six months ago, effectively banning customers from inside the store after 8pm and serving them from a table outside the front door.

When the youths arrived at 9.50pm last Saturday, they pushed the table aside and entered the store.

The worker told the Herald he believed the air rifle was a "real gun". Photo / Supplied

As they left the store they mockingly told Sama to call police, but they would be "back tomorrow" anyway.

They didn't get the chance.

Sama claimed the clueless teens made an unmasked visit to a nearby takeaway shop hours before the robbery and were caught on camera.

Police found them on Sunday, along with empty alcohol bottles and an air rifle.

Police quickly caught up with three young people after this robbery. Photo / Supplied

Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Williams of Waitematā CIB said in a statement that the three accused were found at two separate addresses on the North Shore and said Sama was lucky to emerge unscathed from his ordeal.

"Police have also located a number of items of interest including the air rifle allegedly used in this incident and empty alcohol bottles.

"The staff member at the store is understandably shaken by the incident and it's incredibly fortunate that they did not suffer any serious injuries.

"Police have no tolerance for this sort of brazen offending against businesses in our community, and we will continue to treat such incidents seriously," Williams said.

Two youths, aged 14 and 16, will appear before the Youth Court this week charged with aggravated robbery.

A third offender will be referred to Youth Aid.

This incident comes as ram raids and smash-and-grab robberies have become a near-daily occurrence over the last few months, terrorising Auckland businesses.

Youths have been overwhelmingly responsible for these offences, partly driven by the notoriety these crimes are getting on social media where the brazen thieves share videos of their crimes.

- Chris Marriner and Rachel Maher, NZ Herald