A Hamilton dairy was robbed by three masked men early on Friday morning.
Police say the men were armed with crowbars and threatened the sole attendant at the Maeroa Superette at about 6am.
They say the men made off with a significant amount of tobacco, cigarettes before fleeing on foot north along Rimu Street before turning into Miro Street.
Anyone who saw anything suspicious in the Maeroa area - or who knows of anyone who has suddenly come into the possession of a large amount of tobacco or is selling cigarettes - is asked to contact police.
