Police are appealing for information about an aggravated robbery in Whangārei on Wednesday, in which two armed men forced a woman out of her car.

Detective Senior Sergeant Michelle Harris said the pair then drove off at high speed, damaging four other cars as they fled.

She said police found the men with help from the public and arrested them at a nearby property.

Officers also seized their weapons.

Members of the public were left shaken after witnessing the robbery, she said.

The men appeared in the Whangārei District Court on Thursday charged with aggravated robbery and demands to steal.

Harris said police wanted to hear from anyone who was at Paramount Plaza, in Tikipunga, between 12.30 and 2pm Wednesday and saw anything that could be connected to the robbery.

Police would also like to see any CCTV or cell phone footage of the incident.

Harris urged anyone with information that could help the investigation to lodge a report online or call 105, quoting file number 250604/4542.

This story was originally published by RNZ