Police are investigating a report of an aggravated robbery at a restaurant in Auckland’s Takapuna last night.
At about 9.25pm, police received report of two people entering Tokyo Bay on The Strand.
According to police, the offenders entered the property armed with weapons, which were not firearms, and threatened staff.
Two people, armed with weapons that weren’t guns, took a number of items from Tokyo Bay. (Source: 1News)
No one was injured. However, the offenders took a “number of items” before leaving in a vehicle prior to the arrival of police, it said.
“Police are working hard to find those responsible and are appealing to the public for any information which may assist.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact police via 105 or anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
‘A heck of a mess’ — co-owner
Tokyo Bay co-owner Mark Smith told 1News that diners had left, and staff were closing up when the offenders broke through locked restaurant doors using a hammer and other “sharp objects”.
He said the offenders were shouting, “threatening, very loud [and] simple messages about wanting to take cash”.
“Which, of course, we don’t hold on the premises. So they left, wasting their time [and] really just causing a heck of a mess.”
Smith said the staff were “very shocked” from the incident.
“They were distraught last night, and we sat with them for hours as they were giving statements to police… but we’ve been in contact with all those staff concerned and offer support as they need it,” he said.
Smith said he had never had any incidents such as this in the 10 years the restaurant had been operating.
“Now it’s just a waste of our time. We’re losing customers and we have to clean up and get on with it, which is specially tough for the staff who are very shaken.”
He said already the phone had been going “crazy with community support” and hoped business would be able to get back up and running again soon.
