A Tauranga teenager has been charged with the aggravated robbery of a Gate Pa store earlier today.

The 16-year-old was arrested by police near the Malwa Food and Spices store on Cameron Road where the teen is alleged to have threatened the store owner in an attempt to steal the cash till.

Police at a property in the vicinity of Anzac Road in Gate Pa. Photos: Bruce Barnard.

Police outside Malwa Food and Spices on Cameron Road.

Tauranga Police Acting Senior Sergeant Craig Madden says the teen was unsuccessful in taking the till and instead fled the store with a small amount of confectionary about 10.30am.

About seven police units and the dog handling squad were called and searched nearby streets in the vicinity of 21st and 22nd Avenues, near Anzac Road, a short time later.

The teen was found at one of the properties and has since appeared in Tauranga Youth Court charged with aggravated robbery.

Store owner Kuldeep Singh told SunLive he had left his wife alone in the store to go across the road and get supplies about 10.30am.

While he was out he says a man entered the store and attempted to take the cash till. When he was unable to open it, Kuldeep says the man grabbed chocolate and confectionary before fleeing from the store onto Cameron Road.

'I went home for a couple of minutes and in that time this happened. He grabbed whatever he could get his hands on,” says Kuldeep.

Kuldeep says his partner, Ranjit Kaur, is uninjured but 'shaken and shocked” at the incident.

'She was really scared because this has never happened before. Especially because it is a safe kind of area and it's the first time it has happened so it's really upsetting.”

He says his partner did not recognise the person as being a regular to the dairy.

Anyone with information relevant to this investigation is asked to contact Tauranga Police on (07) 5774300. Alternatively information can be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.