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Braden Fastier / Stuff
A man was arrested after an aggravated robbery at The Railway hotel in Richmond on October 12.
A 34-year-old man was arrested in Tauranga two and a half weeks after an aggravated robbery at The Railway Restaurant and Bar in Richmond.
Police were called to the bar, at the intersection of the Richmond Byway and Lower Queen St, around 2:40 pm on October 12 after a man allegedly entered the premises armed with a firearm.
Cash was taken from the premises and the alleged offender fled on foot.
Nelson CIB identified a man of interest this week and was located in Tauranga on Friday and arrested.
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Braden Fastier / Stuff
Police investigate the scene of an armed robbery at The Railway Restaurant & Bar in Richmond.
The man has been charged with aggravated robbery and is due to appear in Tauranga District Court on Saturday.
Nelson Bays Area Commanding Inspector Paul Borrell said he was pleased that an arrest had been made and that the investigation team had “worked tirelessly” over the past 15 days to make an identification and gather information.
A search warrant was also executed, during which items of interest such as a vehicle, clothing and a firearm were recovered.
“We hope this arrest brings some reassurance to the community, which may have been alarmed by this incident.”
Publican Travis Cooper said after the event that when he looked up and saw a man in a ski mask, pointing what he believed to be a shotgun at him, he thought it was a joke.
CCTV footage shows the intruder putting a ski mask over his head as he walked through the bar door at 2.38pm on October 12. As he walked to the bar, the man pointed his gun at a customer and told him to sit down.
Police could not comment further as the matter was now before the courts.
