Armed robbery - Owhata
At about 6am this morning, four people armed with a large machete and other weapons entered the Te Ngae Road Caltex Service Station in Owhata, Rotorua.
They threatened a staff member, stole cash, vape products and cigarettes.
The offenders then left in a stolen vehicle which they dumped nearby.
After calls from the public alerting Police to the location of the vehicle, a police dog and handler tracked the offenders to a nearby address.
Three youth offenders were arrested and are facing charges of aggravated robbery and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.
The offenders are from Hamilton and Rotorua. The property stolen has been recovered along with the weapons used in the incident.
The vehicle used which was stolen from Hamilton overnight has been recovered and will be returned to its owner.
Inspector Phil Gillbanks, Rotorua Area Prevention Manager says “Police would like to thank the members of the public who were alert enough to notice suspicious activity and call Police right away.
We will not tolerate this behaviour and will take enforcement action where appropriate to keep our community safe. It is good to be able to recover the stolen items, including the vehicle used, and make these arrests.
Let this be a reminder that Police will continue to hold to account, those offenders choosing to behave like this. It is very lucky no one was injured.
Like the witnesses did in this case, always call Police straight away on 111 if you see or suspect anything suspicious happening."
You can also make a report after the fact, using our 105 service, either by phone or online.
Poll: Would you rather: Christmas in summer forever or winter forever?
Just a bit of a fun poll to get you thinking.
If you had to live out your Christmas days, would you prefer it was a summer Christmas or a winter Christmas?
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62% Summer
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36.5% Winter
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1.5% Other - I'll share below
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!
Suellen’s sweet Christmas tradition
The festive season is always a great excuse to indulge your sweet tooth, and this time of year poses the perfect opportunity to bring a real showstopper to the Christmas table.
For Suellen’s family, that showstopper is Croquembouche, an impressive tower of cream puffs bound together with spun sugar that is popular at weddings in France and Italy.
What began as a birthday treat at a local French café has become a cherished Christmas tradition for Suellen and her 17-year-old twin granddaughters, Ellie and Sadie. Every year, the trio gather in Suellen’s apartment at William Sanders Village to cook this festive dessert - a holiday highlight they all treasure.
Click read more for the recipe.
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