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Ricky Wilson/Stuff
Police handle jewellery apparently taken from the Stewart Dawsons store at Westfield St Lukes.
“Shaken” shoppers barricaded themselves inside a back room as a raid took place in a neighbouring store at the Westfield St Lukes mall.
The raid happened at Stewart Dawsons, a jewellery shop on the second floor of the shopping centre in the Auckland suburb of Mt Albert.
Smashed glass from broken display cabinets could be seen strewn across the floor near the entrance to the shop. Armed police were at the scene.
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A police spokesperson said police had received “multiple reports” just after 5pm of “a burglary at a St Lukes Rd retail complex”.
“It’s understood a group of offenders have entered a store within the complex, smashing cabinets, and have subsequently taken some items before fleeing the scene,” the spokesperson said.
“A vehicle believed to have been involved has been located a short distance away. There are no injuries to report and at this stage no arrests have been made.”
Shopper Alison Curtin was in Specsavers when the incident took place.
There was a “really loud noise” and people began running into the store, she said.
Curtin said her and seven others barricaded themselves into the examination room at the back of the store, and rung police.
“There was a young girl with her mum, and they seemed shaken up.”
They remained in there for half an hour until it felt safe to leave, she said
“It was really scary – you just don’t expect it.”
Police were also present at a nearby scene, where a car was abandoned shortly after the raid.
Jewellery was still visible on the ground outside the car and was being analysed by police.
“This scene is in relation to the event at St Luke’s,” a police spokesperson said.
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