Police have unscrewed a pair¡¯s plans after two men allegedly stole tools from a hardware shop and presented a firearm at store workers in East T¨¡maki yesterday.
Detective Inspector Karen Bright, from Counties Manukau CIB, says the incident at a commercial address on Harris Road was reported to Police at around 3.42pm yesterday.
¡°A man has entered the store and walked around for close to an hour before allegedly leaving the store with tools that weren¡¯t paid for.
¡°Two employees have then chased after the alleged offender as he was leaving.¡±
Detective Inspector Bright says the man has run to a vehicle where another man was waiting.
¡°The person in the car is alleged to have presented an imitation firearm towards the workers before the pair fled in a black Subaru.
¡°Our staff managed to track the vehicle and the Police Eagle helicopter quickly located at an address on Kemble Close, M¨¡ngere.
¡°They have attempted to leave that address, however an armed vehicle stop was conducted and both males were taken into custody.¡±
She says the stolen power tools and a replica pistol were located.
¡°This was exceptional work by the officers involved, and thankfully no one was injured.
¡°But this incident should serve as a reminder, we take any incident where there are threats of violence or presentation of firearms towards the community seriously.¡±
Two men, aged 38 and 27, will appear in Manukau District Court on Thursday facing charges including aggravated assault, shoplifting and presenting an object like a firearm.
ENDS.
Holly McKay/51½ÖÉä