A young boy who attempted to rob a Kaitaia dairy at gunpoint on Sunday night was chased from the store by a woman armed with a far less lethal weapon – a broom.
Video given to 3 News of the frightening incident shows two boys aged 12 and 15 entering the dairy around 7:30pm, both dressed in dark clothing and covering their faces with bandanas.
One of the two boys, believed to be the 12-year-old, was armed with a large rifle and was believed to possibly be under the influence of alcohol.
"I was very scared," dairy owner Dipika Patel told 3 News.
Swaying from side-to-side, the boy raised the rifle at Ms Patel, who was standing at the back of the shop near the counter.
"The boy walked in with a gun demanding money," she said.
The tables quickly turned on the offenders when Ms Patel picked up a broom and chased the boys from the store.
Ms Patel's two sons, aged 13 and 17, were also in the shop and called police.
"He didn't get any money. He took some lolly bags," she said.
A member of the public saw the boys fleeing the dairy and called police. They were found at a nearby address.
Police believe the gun wasn't loaded at the time and found no ammunition when they searched the property.
Both offenders were taken into custody.
The 12-year-old boy is facing charges of assaulting and resisting police, as well as aggravated robbery and will appear in the Kaitaia Youth Court next month.
The other boy, aged 15, will also appear in court in December charged with aggravated robbery.
3 News
