Christchurch police are pleading with the public to help catch a man responsible for an aggravated robbery that took place at a pharmacy in Burwood.

Police say on Friday 9th April at around 3.30pm, a man armed with a firearm entered the Burwood Pharmacy.

He immediately went behind the counter, where the store owner and another staff member were.

A customer who was in the store at the time managed to slip outside to raise the alarm.

The offender forced a staff member to fill both his bag and a box with drugs from the safe. He then demanded the cash from the till and asked the store owner for his car keys. The store owner was reluctant to hand over his keys, but as the man was armed with a gun, he decided to do so.

The suspect then spent some more time stealing items off the shelves, before crossing the road to steal the store owner’s silver Honda Jazz.

The car had a trailer attached with shop signage, so the suspect drove round the corner to the intersection of Baynes and Cossar Street and unhooked it.

The car was next seen running a red-light at the intersection of Travis and Burwood Road, heading towards the hospital.

The shop owner’s silver Honda Jazz (rego: MJS357) is still outstanding. It has a tow bar, which is rare for its model, and it also has a crack on the passenger side of the windscreen.

The suspect is described as wearing:

• Dark pants and white shoes

• Red gloves, carrying a black sports bag, and a firearm

This robbery has had a huge impact on the victims, who run the small family business.  

Police would like to hear from anyone who has seen the grey Honda Jazz, and would like to speak to the male in the CCTV footage.