Police are investigating an aggravated robbery at a pet store in Lower Hutt.
They say a man with a firearm forced a cleaner to let him into the store shortly after 7am on Saturday.
He held the cleaner there for about an hour until other staff arrived.
The cleaner was forced to hand over money from a safe and the man got away in a silver Toyota Opa stolen from the store car park.
The vehicle has not been located and police are appealing to the public for more information.
