An Auckland liquor store employee was injured during an aggravated robbery in the suburb of Hillsborough, marking the fourth such incident at the store in the past month. The incident occurred around 7:20 pm when a person entered the store and attempted to steal a box of alcohol, The New Zealand Herald has reported.
According to a police spokesperson, the employee sustained non-life-threatening injuries after being struck by a bottle while confronting the offender. "The offender left in a vehicle, and police are conducting multiple inquiries to locate the individual involved," the spokesperson said. The injured employee is receiving medical attention and support.
Hato Hone St John confirmed that an ambulance was dispatched to the scene at approximately 7:30 pm.
Duty manager Manikanth Varadharajulu provided further details, explaining that around 7:15 pm, an individual entered the store, grabbed a bottle, and attempted to flee. "The employee tried to figure out what was happening, but the offender suddenly took a bottle and struck my staff member on the head," he told the Herald.
The employee suffered a cut to their ear, which was "bleeding badly," Varadharajulu said.
Varadharajulu also expressed concern over the rising number of incidents, noting that this was the fourth robbery within a month. He stressed that his staff deserve to feel safe while at work. "We don’t want to be constantly on edge, wondering if something bad will happen or if we need to be better prepared," he said.
Police are continuing to investigate the incident.
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