Two people with their faces covered by bandannas tried to break into the Caltex on Tremaine Ave on October 31, but fled when they noticed someone in the building.

Business owners are ramping up security after a series of robberies in Palmerston North. Police reporter Kirsty Lawrence examines the impact of robberies on staff and what can be done to prevent them.

His face was covered by a ski mask. Dressed all in black, he sauntered past regular drinkers who had no clue of what was about to happen.

He raised the gun he had been holding loosely by his side, pointing it at the woman who was working behind the bar.

David Unwin/Fairfax NZ The Langley Ave Mini Mart was robbed at gunpoint on October 15.

Sun was streaming through the windows at The Albert Sports Bar. It was 2.20pm on August 6, the day of the Super Rugby final.

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The staff member took him out the back of the bar to give him what he was demanding. Money.

Georgia Forrester/Fairfax NZ A Pizza Hut delivery man was the victim of an aggravated robbery on Ferguson St on Wednesday.

The manager working at the time, Rochelle Aupouri, was in the pokies room when a woman ran in saying a man in the bar had a gun.

"I ran straight out the back.

"[The bartender] was standing there screaming, as you would, just panicking."

Manager, Gail, who wanted only her first name used, said the staff member caught up in the robbery was now back at work.

There were now more security precautions, but she was always looking towards the door just in case.

"There's just so much of it going on."

This robbery was just one of 12 that Stuff has been made aware of around Palmerston North in the past six months.

Knives, guns and hammers have been carried by offenders, with most leaving shaken employees in their wake.

MANY STILL UNSOLVED

Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Harrison said he could recall three licensed establishments that had been the subject of armed robberies in the past six months.

Help from the public was essential to solving such crimes, Harrison said.

"I would encourage any member of the public to contact police immediately upon noticing anything they think may be suspicious.

"Police will respond and assess the information, which may result in the prevention of a crime being committed."

He also encouraged business owners to talk to their staff about how they would respond should they be the victim of a robbery.

"I would hope that such conversations would include encouraging any victims to comply with the demands that are being made of them by the offenders [and] let the offender have the property they demand, as I believe this will reduce the potential of being physically harmed.

"Victim Support is made available to each and every victim, as we know that being the victim of an aggravated robbery can be a very traumatic event.

"Police are working hard to resolve these aggravated robberies and hold the offenders to account, which I hope provides a degree of closure to the victims of this crime."

BUSINESSES DISRUPTED

Central Economic Development Agency chief executive officer Will Samuel said there were multiple impacts a robbery could have on a business. "The interruption, loss of stock and people are left out of pocket.

"It also affects their ability to trade in the future."

Samuel said businesses needed to make sure they were doing what they could to protect themselves.

"If they need to have security firms actually [keeping an eye] on their business that is an option."

Samuel said there were many insurances available to businesses, including business interruption insurance and loss of stock.





TOBACCO BEING HIT

Two men entered the Xtra Cash store in Palmerston North about 2pm on August 8 with a knife and a blunt object and jumped the counter, trying to access the rear of the shop, but could not get in.

They then fled the store and were picked up by the driver of a two-door grey Nissan Skyline with darkened windows, which sped away from the scene.

"We managed it quite well," said the owner, who did not wish to be named.

He said the increase in robberies was a concern.

"If it continues, we will have to be putting up a screen, but it appears to be tobacco being hit."

After their attempted robbery, he said they changed a few security measures.

A staff member affected was doing well.

"She was amazing, she really was.

"It happened so quickly there is very little you can do."

RECENT ROBBERIES IN PALMERSTON NORTH

December 14 : Two people arrested after alleged armed robbery of a Pizza Hut delivery man at a property on Ferguson St, near Linton St.

December 9 : Rangiora Ave Mini Mart robbed on Rangiora Ave by three men.

November 27: BP service station on Main St robbed at 9.20pm by a knife-wielding robber. This was the second time it had been robbed in six months.

November 14: Yummy Takeaways on Rangiora Ave robbed by two men, one armed with a baseball bat, about 7.50pm.

October 31: Caltex service station, on Tremaine Ave, attempted robbery about 5.30am.

October 30: A house in Tyne St was robbed by three people armed with blunt weapons about 9.30pm.

October 29: The Birdcage Bar on Vogel St attempted robbery about 10.30pm.

October 15: Langley Ave Mini Mart in Milson on Langley Ave stormed by an armed assailant, just before 1.30pm.

October 9: Rex's Place on Fairs Rd robbed at about 9.05pm by four people, one brandishing a gun.

August 8: Attempted robbery of Xtra Cash on Main St by two men wearing balaclavas. One was armed with a knife and the other with a blunt object.

August 6: The Albert Sports Bar, on the corner of Main St and Albert St, was robbed at gunpoint.

July 28: The Butt Bucket on Main St in Palmerston North was allegedly robbed at knifepoint. Jonathon Edward James Moore, 24, has pleaded not guilty to aggravated robbery.