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A manager has described the “really scary” moment a man entered his workplace with a gun and took almost $40,000 in an alleged aggravated robbery.

The manager, who spoke on the condition neither he nor the business was named, said the Mount Maunganui business opened at 9am yesterday.

After 10 minutes, a man arrived in a BMW and was wearing all black, including a black hoodie and black mask, the manager said.

When the man entered the premises, the manager told him to take off his hoodie.

“Eventually, he just came to me ... and took out his gun from his bag.

“He asked me to put all the money into the bag.

“That was really scary.”

The manager said the man took almost $40,000 in an ordeal that lasted between three and four minutes.

The manager said there were two customers at the premises at the time.

Once the man left, the manager called the police, who arrived within 10 minutes. The manager said he had CCTV footage which had been given to the police.

The premises was closed for the day on Thursday.

The manager said he was feeling “a little bit scared” but hoped he would be feeling better after one or two days.

“You can’t even imagine during the daytime something will happen like this.

“I’m trying to forget that moment.”

A police spokesman said yesterday they were investigating an aggravated robbery in Mount Maunganui.

Police responded to reports of a man with a firearm entering a commercial premises on Owens Place at 9.30am.

“It is alleged the man took money from the cash register and left the scene in a black vehicle.

“Police are making inquiries at the scene and would like to hear from anyone who was around Owens Place and may have seen the incident,” he said.

Today, a police spokeswoman said inquiries continued and police continued to seek information from anyone in the area at the time.

They are asked to contact police on 105 and quote event number: P053823704. The file number is file number: 230302/3608.