A North Canterbury superette is the latest to be targeted in a brazen daylight robbery in a crime wave which is impacting the nation.

It is the first time Rangiora Flowers & Dairy has been hit in the 25 years the Vallabh family have owned it.

The family’s 18-year-old daughter was serving in-store about 2.30pm on Tuesday during her school holidays, when a man wearing a white top with “88” in blue writing, and a blue cap, allegedly snatched a pouch of $120 tobacco out of her hands and ran.

In the video uploaded to the High Street Rangiora’s Facebook page, it shows the man entering the shop with at least five other customers nearby, looking directly at the shop’s security camera as he waited.

When it was his turn to be served, he calmly walks up to the 18-year-old shopkeeper and appears to ask for tobacco, filters, papers and a lighter.

“My parents have always taught us to be weary, to be vigilant, but because it was the middle of the day, broad daylight, customers in the shop, and he walked in quite confidently — I didn’t take too much notice,” the shopkeeper told Chris Lynch Media.

“I kept it [the tobacco] in my hand, cause that’s what we do. And he said, ‘Make sure you’ve got the right one… Can I have a look?,’ while he reached out to take it. And that’s when in my head I thought that was an unnecessary thing for someone to say, but it was too late. He took it and ran,” she said.

“He just was not scared. That’s the thing I keep thinking about,” she added.

The call has been put out on Facebook by the shop, asking “Anyone know 88 Man.”

The Vallabh family is currently working with local police to locate the alleged offender.

Anyone with information should contact police, quoting file number 230926/8913.