Arrest made in armed pub robbery

Police have arrested a man for the armed robbery of a Richmond pub but a second offender remains at large.

The 24-year-old was arrested on Friday night and appeared in the Christchurch District Court on Saturday charged with aggravated robbery.

He was remanded in custody and will reappear on Tuesday. The two men entered the Sideline Bar on Stanmore Rd late on Wednesday night and ordered the bar’s occupants on to the floor at gunpoint.

They ordered a staff member to open the safe. Owner Terry McIntyre said the two robbers were in the bar for only a few minutes and it was not known how much cash they had stolen.

Police are still trying to identify the second man. Detective Senior Sergeant Tony Hill said the pair are believed to have left the scene at speed in a white-coloured Subaru Impreza.

He asked for anyone who saw the vehicle in Richmond, Shirley or Edgeware soon after 11.30pm on Wednesday to contact police.

‘‘We are also interested in hearing from retailers or members of the public who have seen anyone matching the descriptions of the offenders, and using large amounts of gold coins to make transactions.''

The offenders were both described as being male Maori or Pacific Islanders aged in their mid-20s, approximately 180 centimetres tall and wearing dark clothing with their faces covered.

- © Fairfax NZ News