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A gift shop owner is sickened after thousands of dollars worth of goods were stolen in a mall ram raid this morning.
The incident at Goldfields Shopping Centre in Thames was reported to police about 3am after a car was found abandoned in the Mary St shopping centre entrance.
It’sthe second time thieves have targeted the mall in two months after five vehicles were used in a ram raid in July.
Boots ’N’ All owner James Jesse O’Grady said between $15,000 and $25,000 worth of jewellery was taken in this morning’s raid.
His store was the only one in the mall to be targeted.
”I feel sick to my stomach. I’ve been here 28 years and this is shocking.”
What appeared to be two people wearing gloves and balaclavas rammed the front of the mall around 3am, using hammers to smash through what their car couldn’t, he said.
Once inside the mall, they went to his shop and used “a big chair” from inside the mall to ram through his $25,000 grille door.
They smashed through two glass cases, one with watches and one with Guess jewellery. The whole incident took about seven minutes, he said.
”It’s taken me about two years to build those ranges … I’d order a watch, then pay it off the next month, and then slowly build it, and I had a wicked range.”
He said the offenders also stole a black and gold sword.
”I didn’t think they’d target me, being a gift shop. I’m broken hearted … it really hits you in the heart.”
Business over the past few years has been “pretty tough” with Covid, road issues and a wet summer.
Clean-up work after a ram raid at Goldfields Shopping Centre in Thames. Photo / Monika Lange
He said the raid “makes you want to close your doors”.
However, it was his livelihood and he had a mortgage and children to care for.
”This is my second home, basically, and it’s like having a burglary in your house.”
Builders were replacing the door this morning, with about 10 people cleaning the store so it could open as soon as possible.
O’Grady said there had been a lot of support from the community.
Goldfields Shopping Centre manager John Freer said ram-raiders “smashed” through a glass panel next to the entrance, which was still being repaired from the last ram raid.
The offenders hit the bollards installed since the last raid and, when they couldn’t get through, they drove into the glass panel, then entered the shopping centre on foot.
”It’s really disappointing. We had to close the shopping centre for half a day, which means that businesses lose trading, which also impacts their staff.”
A police spokesman said the car left at the shopping centre was stolen.
“Inquiries are under way to identify and locate the offenders. Anyone with information which could assist our inquiries is asked to contact police via 105, quoting file number 230905/2875.
“Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.”
