Shreya Gandhi says she feels trapped because the dairy is also her home.
Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER

The owner of a Wellington dairy says she was only on her own for 15 minutes – but in that time four masked men stormed the store, attacked her and fled in a stolen vehicle with cash and cigarettes worth thousands dollars.

Police are still investigating Sunday night robbery at Lower Hutt’s Two Ten dairyand expressed concern at the level of violence displayed by criminals.

Shreya Gandhi said her husband Dhruvin had just left when a car full of masked men pulled up outside the Knight’s Road shop shortly before 7pm.

Two Ten Dairy in Lower Hutt.
Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER

She said it was a terrifying sight, but she barely had time to react.

“Suddenly everything happened.”

Speaking to RNZ, she described a chaotic scene with men storming the store, smashing the counter and throwing glass flying.

Surrounded, with nowhere to go, she was pushed to the ground as the group rushed to the cigarette cabinet and up behind her.

“I was in the middle, they were trying to kick me in the stomach, in the back. It was very bad.

“I have bruises all over my body from the blows … cut marks on my hands from the glass.”

Gandhi said the men ransacked the house, which contained about $2,100 from the weekend’s sales, and emptied the cigarette cabinets.

She put the total loss at $25,000 to $30,000.

She said although the entire incident lasted less than two minutes, the mental scars lingered and she was left too traumatized to enter the store.

“If I go in there, the whole thing flashes before my eyes. I can’t sleep well at night because I feel terrified.

“Even a little bump… it really hurts.”

Gandhi said she felt particularly trapped because the dairy was also her home.

“I want to go somewhere, but where can I go? Because this is a business and a house together.”

Gandhi said police have carried out a forensic examination and since reopening today they have been inundated with support from the community.

“Our neighbors and customers came in person and talked to us. They brought so many flowers.”

Community in shock

Shreya and Dhruvin Gandhi bought the Knight’s Road premises a year ago and said that while they had heard of attacks on dairy owners in other parts of the country, they never imagined it would happen to them.

Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER

Neighbor Rebecca Stephen said the incident was the first she knew of in the two decades she visited the Two Ten factory. He couldn’t believe how reckless he was.

“It was shocking, it was horrible. I’ve been going to that dairy for about 20 years and I’ve never seen anything like this.

“(Something) so awful and so crazy, at that time of day.”

Stephen said he heard screams and three police cars and an ambulance soon arrived.

“There were loads of people around, all the neighbors were running out, coming around her to make sure she was OK.

“We love them, they’re new owners, but they’ve been so good to us. They’re like family to us here. It’s very sad.”

The neighboring mental health facility, Mix, was organizing a card for Gandhi to show its staff support.

Facilitator Victoria, who wanted to be known only by her first name, said she felt especially for Shreya Gandhi.

“It’s so devastating and traumatic for her. Everyone here is shocked that it happened.”

Police are concerned about the ‘level of violence’

Police said they were “very concerned about the level of violence shown by those involved” and were still investigating the robbery.

They said at least four masked men entered the Knight’s Road dairy at 6.41pm on November 17 and assaulted the shopkeeper, before taking off in a stolen vehicle with cash, cigarettes and other items.

Police said the vehicle was dumped on the corner of Totara Crescent and Rangiora Street before the offenders got into another stolen vehicle, which was later dumped on Parliament Street.

A police dog unit was unable to track the offenders after they fled on foot.

Officers are reviewing CCTV footage and speaking to witnesses and have appealed for anyone who saw suspicious behavior in the area to get in touch.

They can be contacted anonymously on 105 or through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111, using reference number 241117/8174.