As put by Detective Sergeant Mark Leathem, Thames CIB:
Police have today made an arrest in relation to two aggravated robberies in the Waikato East area.
On Friday 28 February, Police were alerted to four people entering a commercial premises on Tararu Road at around 5:10am with their faces covered.
Three were armed with a machete, a metal pole and a crowbar.
The group assaulted an employee and targeted cash and cigarettes, before fleeing the area in a vehicle.
The employee received minor injuries and is being provided support.
On Monday 3 March, four people entered a premises on Kerepehi Town Road, where they have also had their faces covered and threatened an employee with weapons.
Thankfully, in this instance, the employee was not injured, however they are shaken by the incident. They are being provided support.
They targeted cigarettes, tobacco, and vapes, then fled the scene in a vehicle.
After making initial enquiries and conducting scene examinations, Waikato East CIB launched an investigation to identify and locate the persons responsible for the incidents.
Today, Police executed a series of search warrants in the Thames area, supported by the Waikato Armed Offenders Squad.
As a result, a 17-year-old was arrested and is due to appear in Hamilton Youth Court on Wednesday 5 March.
A 20-year-old man was also located and arrested on unrelated warrants to arrest.
Police continue to investigate the two aggravated robberies and are working hard to identify and hold those responsible to account.
