Youths arrested after raid on Taranaki liquor store

Two teenagers have been arrested following an armed robbery at a Taranaki liquor store - the second within a month.

Two males aged 19 and 15 were apprehended while hiding in bushes near a cemetery following the raid on the Black Bull Liquor store in Eltham on Wednesday afternoon, detective sergeant Chris Allemann said.

The offenders drove up to the York St store just after 3pm in a black Mazda Familia, which had been stolen from Stratford earlier in the day.

One of the offenders had a knife, Allemann said.

READ MORE: Scream sends liquor store robbers into 'panic mode'

"There was a single person working.

"They chased the person working behind the counter and out into a hallway area behind the serving area.

"He's got a cut on his finger. We're not sure how he's got that. He's just got a few stitches."

While that was happening the second offender grabbed the till - containing several hundred dollars - and ran back to the car and the pair took off.

The vehicle was found near the corner of Anderson and Rawhitiroa Rds near the Eltham cemetery, Allemann said.

"A police dog handler came down from New Plymouth and started tracking from the car, and tracked through the cemetery and located two males hiding in the bushes near the cemetery."

They were arrested and taken back to Stratford Police Station, he said.

The till and some money was found in flax bushes.

It is not known if the robbery was linked to a similar incident in February in which a member of staff was assaulted.

A staff member from Black Bull Liquor said Wednesday's experience was scary.

"The police say they stole the car and drove straight in the driveway and then two of them came out and they had a knife," he said.

"It's the second time in a month. It's never happened in two years."

The offenders only took money, about six or seven hundred dollars, he said.

He suspects the culprits are from outside of Eltham.

"The locals are very nice to us."

On the evening of February 15 two men with covered faces entered the Black Bull and demanded money.

When a member of staff did not hand over cash he was punched in the face.

The staff member said he screamed when he was hit, making the men panic and flee.

The offenders had tried to make off with two 12-packs of drink, but dropped both outside the shop.

It is not known if the two robberies are related but police are investigating.