Police are appealing for witnesses of yesterday afternoon's brazen daytime robbery of an Auckland jewellery store

Bystanders say five masked men stormed the Michael Hill Jewellery store in Newmarket mall during opening hours, armed with baseball bats and metal bars.

They smashed the jewellery counters, filling their arms with items before making a hasty escape.

Police say the offenders left the scene in a Mazda Atenza, which was found abandoned in Almorah Place a short time later.