One of the robbers makes a getaway.

Staff of a small family business were threatened with an axe and a metal bar and one employee was pushed to the ground and beaten before attackers fled.

A violent robbery by teenagers on the North Shore resulted in a police pursuit across Auckland on Monday afternoon before ending dramatically in the suburb of Glen Eden.

Six males, all believed to be on 24-hour curfew, were involved in the crime.

Stuff.co.nz Henderson police give details of West Auckland brazen robbery

Five - all aged 16 - were arrested, however a sixth offender remained at large.

All five would be charged with aggravated robbery, injuring with intent, and breaching bail, police said.

The driver of the vehicle will be charged with unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, reckless driving and aggravated failing to stop.

The four passengers will be charged with unlawfully getting into motor vehicle.



The five teens were to appear in the North Shore District Court on Tuesday.

Three people were working in the store on Sunnybrae Rd on the Shore when five masked offenders ran into the shop, police said.

One was armed with an axe and the others were armed with metal bars.

The staff were threatened with the swinging axe and the metal bars, and the axe was smashed into the desk in front of one of the workers.

Glass display cabinets were smashed and cell phones were stolen.

An employee was chased and shoved to the ground before being kicked and punched about the head and face. Police believe his injuries were not serious.

CCTV footage showed the offenders storming the shop - leaping over a cashier's desk and kicking in cabinets - before stowing boxes of goods in a white station wagon and driving away.

The vehicle was stolen, and driven by a sixth person.

A witness provided police with the registration of the vehicle and this was broadcast immediately to all units.

An officer spotted the car heading towards West Auckland and followed at a distance. At Westgate, police signalled for the driver to stop, but he failed to do so and a pursuit began

Officers then laid road spikes as the vehicle headed for Glen Eden.

The car was successfully spiked and the offenders dumped it at the Glen Eden shops and ran.

The majority headed for the train station but were chased by officers on foot.

One officer chased the driver of the car for around 800 metres and the Eagle Helicopter spotted two hiding under a deck.

Four were arrested. A fifth person was arrested at residential property on West Coast Rd shortly after.

One person is still at large and enquiries to locate him are ongoing.

Inspector Kerry Watson of Henderson police said the offenders were "very well known" to police.

Police believe the group where all under 24-hour curfew but had attended a course on Monday.

They were supposed to head home however they committed the offence.

Kerry said it appeared the store was chosen at random and that no drugs were involved.

He said the family were shaken after the incident.

"It's a small family business and these people have gone in there in just an appalling manner, it would have been a harrowing experience for them," he said.

Police thanked the many members of the public who called with information during this incident and therefore helped to assist with these arrests.