Children, as young at 10 years of age, robbed a dairy in Riccarton last night, activating the store’s fog cannons.

Initially, Fire and Emergency crews were called to the Harrington dairy on Peverel street at 5.30 PM, after smoke was seen coming out of the premise.

Police arrived a short time later.

Neighbour Brooke Currey told Chris Lynch she was driving home on Peveral Street when she was nearly hit by a stolen car.

“You could tell it was young children driving, as they couldn’t see over the steering wheel.

When pulled up to my home, next to the dairy, I noticed fog cannons had been set off, so I ran over and helped the shop owner who was very distressed.

The kids had ripped out the cash till and there was a mess everywhere.”

Brooke said English was the shop owner’s second language and she was very upset at what had happened.

A Fire and Emergency spokesman confirmed they attended the incident.

Crews from Spreydon and Ilam fire stations helped the shop owner before police arrived, a spokesman said.

Brooke said “when the police came back last night, they told her one of the offenders was a 10-year-old boy and was known to them.

“It breaks my heart, why would a 10-year-old be doing this if he’s known to the cops? Why is his home allowing this behaviour?”

A police spokeswoman said no weapons were presented, and police were following lines of inquiry to identify those responsible.