Invercargill Police have confirmed they are investigating an aggravated robbery at a Dee Street business last night.

Two male offenders, one reportedly armed with a firearm, entered the Dee Night'n Day store just before 9.30pm.

Detective Senior Sergeant Stuart Harvey said a member of the public who went to intervene was stabbed by one of the offenders.

This person is reported to be in a stable condition in hospital.

The pair took a small quantity of cash before leaving in a vehicle, which was later located abandoned nearby.

Police are speaking to a number of witnesses but are encouraging anyone who has not made contact with police to come forward.

Vicitm Support is being arranged for the people affected by the incident.

Anyone with information is asked to call 105 and quote file number 200731/0942.

Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously via 0800 555 111.

St John ambulance confirmed to The Southland App that an ambulance had been called to the scene just before 9.30pm yesterday. Around five police cars attended the scene last night.

The Night'n Day store is still cordoned off this morning.

Several police officers also visited the Z Petrol station across the road from Dee Night and Day to speak with the manager of the petrol station last night. 

Manager of Z Gladstone Amar Singh said police had come to check over the CCTV footage from the petrol station for further information.

Mr Singh said about $60 of fuel had been stolen around 9.30pm that same evening, but he was unsure if it was connected to the event as petrol theft could be common in the area.

“It’s not an unusual thing to happen here,” he said.

He said police did not say if the two events were connected but had wanted to check the cameras in order to cover all bases in their investigation.

A number of pedestrians had gathered outside the cordon last night and a couple of people said they had heard a man in Dee Night and Day had been “held at knife point” and “stabbed”.

Drury Lane in Grasmere (about a 2-minute drive from Dee Street Dairy) was also blocked off by police at 11pm yesterday evening. 

Police said further details would be released once inquiries had been progressed.