Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
A teenager has been arrested after allegedly threatening a woman with a machete while trying to steal her car outside a West Auckland supermarket.
The woman was in the carpark with one of the car's doors open when she was approached by a person she did not know outside the Massey supermarket on the evening of 14 July, police have said.
The teenager allegedly tried to get into the car and the woman managed to close the door and tried to run away, Detective Senior Sergeant Goldie said.
"The victim has then fallen, and the alleged offender has threatened her with a machete while continuing to attempt to get the keys to the vehicle."
The woman was taken to hospital with minor injuries, Goldie said, and the offender fled the scene without getting the car keys.
"Police had been working hard to identify the person responsible for this unprovoked attack, which left the victim understandably shaken."
On Thursday, police did a search warrant at a house in Massey after getting some information and the teenager was arrested.
A 15-year-old has been charged with aggravated robbery and resisting and assaulting police and will next appear in Waitākere Youth Court on 6 August.