Teenager threatened with machete at Albany bus station in attempt to steal shoes

An Auckland woman says her son is terrified of taking the bus after being threatened by two boys with a machete at Albany bus station on Monday afternoon.

The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said her 17-year-old son had just accompanied a friend on a bus when two youths stood over him, threatening him in an attempt to steal his shoes.

“He had felt this sharp thing go into the side of his leg, into his jeans, and he didn't really know what it was. And he looked up, and there were two young people, on either side of him .He looked up and they said, “give me your shoes.” And he said, “oh no, no, please leave me alone.”

She said the boys challenged her to a fight.

“One of the kids took out a big machete and said to him, 'you want a fight, you want a fight, give me your shoes',” she said.

No security guards were present at the station and her son fled to a nearby shopping center for safety, where she was able to retrieve him, she said.

Police have confirmed that two 13-year-olds were arrested at an Albany bus station after a group threatened a person with a weapon shortly before 2 p.m.

Police said the youths were referred to youth assistance.

Auckland Transport general manager of public transport operations Rachel Cara said there were 24/7 security patrols at Albany station.

“Firstly, we were dismayed to learn of this worrying incident. The Auckland Transport Operations Center was alerted by police to the incident and relevant CCTV footage was recorded. The roadway of the North (including the Albany station) is always monitored 24/7 station, in addition to transportation officers on site to patrol,” she said in a statement.

But the woman said no one was there when her son was threatened.

“If they had implemented the same security as on school days and holidays, then maybe what happened to my son wouldn't have happened. That's the first thing my son said – 'oh mom, there wasn't one there, just a cleaner,' she said.

She said her son would avoid the bus station from now on.

“I'm a single mother, on welfare, he worked hard to get his new shoes and have these two punks come and try to take them off him. He's only had them for two days.”

She said threats and attacks on public transport routes were becoming more common.

“This happens so often. It gets worse and worse and worse.”