Robbers get cash machine | Northland News | Local News in Northland

Police are hunting for at least three men who brandished a firearm before ramming a Northland service station and stealing an ATM money machine.

Those investigating would not reveal how much cash had been stolen or whether it had been found.

The drama began about 2.50am yesterday when armed robbers pulled a firearm on the Caltex petrol station night shift attendant before reversing a car into the building to dislodge an ATM machine from the wall.

The robbers managed to get the machine into the car. Police say at least threepeople were involved.

The vehicle used to ram the building was a silver station wagon, which was found burning on Pipiwai Rd near Kaikou, - south of Kaikohe. The offenders left in another vehicle and late yesterday police had not made any arrests.

When the Northern Advocate contacted the Caltex station the manager declined to comment except to say the station was open for business.

The front doors to the main shop area were shattered.

It is not the first time money machines have been the focus of thieves in Northland.

In a similar incident in September 2011 two men used a stolen truck to try to rip a money machine out of petrol Alley service station on Port Marsden Highway.

Ruakaka police Constable Mark Stuart said the light truck used in that attempt was stolen from a yard owned by Steve Bowling Contractors on Pipiwai Rd, near Kamo, where a padlock and chain had been cut.

The truck was reversed up to the front window which was smashed and an attempt was made to pull it out. The machine was damaged but stayed in place. The truck was later found burnt out.

In the same month, someone cleared out $120,000 from a Kiwibank machine in the Dargaville Lotto and Post shop.

The burglary was discovered by shop owner Brian Campbell, who said the machine had been tampered with but would not elaborate.

Simon Kerr was charged in relation to that burglary as well as another Post Shop money machine theft at Onerahi.

Kerr, now 50, became one of New Zealand's best-known criminals about 20 years ago as leader of the "Hole In The Wall" safecrackers in Auckland.

Last year he was charged with commercial burglaries from Mt Maunganui to Kerikeri between February 2009 and May 2011, including post shops, liquor outlets, a service station and shops.

Included in the charges were the burglaries of the Ruakaka Caltex Service Station; the St John Opportunity Shop in Kawakawa; Kerikeri's Homestead Hotel, The Toolshed store in Whangarei, all in August 2009; Dargaville's Kiwi Post and Lotto Shop in September 2009; the Wellsford Post Shop, Mangawhai Four Square and Onerahi Post Shop in November 2009. He remains in custody.

Anyone with information about the Kawakawa heist can contact Kaikohe police on 09 405 2960 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.