UPDATED: 6.10PM A frustrated South Auckland dairy owner has shared a video showing a group of people taking $2500 worth of items from his store.
It includes a woman holding a baby.
Co-owner of Redhill Superette in Papakura, Indy Purewal said about 10 teenagers came to the store around 5pm yesterday wanting to buy cigarettes.
Store workers refused to serve them because they didn't have identification.
Mr Purewal said about half the group started yelling at the two workers and taking items, while others remained outside.
“The boys were really scared; they were trying to defend themselves and the store,” Mr Purewal said.
He said the items stolen include a worker's iPhone, cigarettes and one teenager tried to break into the shop till.
Mr Purewal said he shared the video online because he thinks people need to be aware this is going on.
Inspector Dave Glossop said police arrived within eight minutes of the call - and they're still seeking the offenders.
"I've looked at the video footage and I want to say I am appalled as well by what's happening. We are treating the matter seriously. It is actively being investigated".
A Counties Manukau police spokeswoman said police wouldn’t comment on the incident as it was under investigation.
However, Counties Manukau police said on Facebook: “We are following some excellent leads and hope to have apprehended these offenders quickly”.
There have been calls for dairy owners to be armed with something like tazers - but Inspector Dave Glossop said that's not a good idea.
"We want to de-escalate not escalate the situation. The sad reality is, as we've witnessed before, So often people who arm themselves with weapons have them used against them".
Inspector Glossop said police are being proactive.
"We're running seminars with dairy owners and liquor store owners and those sort of things. We're all about preventing crime and stopping people from becoming victims so we're providing a lot of information to try and prevent them from occurring".
MORE: Papakura Ward Councillor talks to Larry Williams
Papakura Ward Councillor Calum Penrose told Larry Williams when people with a string of convictions are handed community sentences, it sends the wrong message to criminals.
"There's a handful of people that's committing this crime and we'd love to deal with them and I'm sure the the police would love to deal with them too but the justice system needs to step up. They need to say, 'right enough is enough' and take some accountability for this".
Mr Purewal's family had owned the store for 21 years and had been robbed about 17 or 18 times.
“We average about one robbery a year. It’s not just us, there’s other businesses around here and there’s been quite a few break-ins at houses as well.
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