Jewellery store’s traumatic closing down sale2 min read
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Onehunga Jewellers experienced a traumatic end to their final closing down sale with a bold daylight robbery in July.
The owner and staff praised the police and community following the heist, which occurred just after 4pm on Tuesday, 9th July, when two youths, armed with hammers and wearing dark clothing, sunglasses, surgical masks, and hoodies, stormed the store.
They shouted as they leapt onto the glass counters with a dark bag and a red shopping basket. “I was serving a customer and saw them jump onto the counter,” says the manager. “I shouted at them, but they ignored me. The customer quickly left the store.”
Realising the danger, the manager and salesperson followed store protocol and locked themselves outside the back. Before running out the back, the salesperson shouted to them to “just take it and get out.”
A passerby saw the distressed women, and asked if they were okay, but they were too shocked to respond.
CCTV footage showed the thieves smashing thick glass counters with hammers, hurling large shards onto the floor. They stuffed jewellery into their bag, before running out the store and into a nearby car, leaving the basket on an unsmashed counter. Small blood droplets marked their path, indicating one of them was injured.
A bystander alerted the police, who arrived within minutes.
That same night, police spotted the suspects’ car in Papakura. The driver fled, causing a minor accident. The police helicopter was called, and after spike strips were laid on SH20 and Mt Wellington Highway, the pursuit ended when the vehicle collided with barriers in Pakuranga. The youths, aged 15 and 17, tried to steal another vehicle, but were swiftly arrested. Much of the stolen jewellery was recovered, though some items remained missing.
The 17-year-old suspect faces multiple charges, including aggravated robbery, dangerous driving, failing to stop, and vehicle theft. He is also linked to a violent attempted robbery at a Mt Albert sports bar in June. The 15-year-old has been charged with aggravated robbery and vehicle theft. Both appeared in the Auckland Youth Court.
The community’s support was evident as customers continued to visit the store, expressing their solidarity. Despite the traumatic event, the staff remained committed to serving their customers, inviting reasonable offers on the remaining jewellery.
Closing up shop was not an easy decision for the owners, who bought the business in November 2019. Before that, Onehunga Jewellers had been a family business for 60 years.
