Another staffer, who was outside when the ordeal started, rushed into the store and went through the side safety gate to get behind the counter and told Patel’s 18-year-old son, who was working, to run.
Patel, then received a call from the staffer and contacted the police, who arrived quickly and arrested the alleged robbers nearby, he said.
The situation lasted around 30 seconds, Patel, who was upstairs during the incident, told the Herald.
No cash was taken.
Detective Senior Sergeant Megan Goldie said police received a report of the group entering a dairy on the road with a weapon about 7.40pm on Monday.
“The alleged offenders have then taken a number of items before police quickly arrived and took them into custody.
“Within minutes of the aggravated robbery being reported, three youths were located and arrested, which is a great result.”
The alleged lawbreakers were aged between 11 and 15, Goldie said.
The incident had left two children who had been helping out in the dairy during the school holidays scared to work, Patel said.
It was the first armed robbery Patel had experienced in the near decade he had owned the store, he said.
“It’s really scary, it’s very hard to work behind the counter.”
Patel installed safety equipment, such as barriers between the counter and the store, smoke machines and security cameras, a few years ago when other stores were being targeted by retail crime such as ram raids.
Three youths have been referred to Youth Aid Services following the incident.
Goldie said police are committed to holding “those who choose to commit these crimes to account”.
Anyone who witnesses suspicious or unlawful behaviour should call 111 as soon as possible, Goldie added.