Four Square in Napier ram raided three times in three years: 'Lot of stress'

A shot taken from CCTV footage across the road shows the small truck (top right) used in the Four Square ram raid. Photo / Supplied

The manager of a Four Square in Napier says the family-run company has been put through "a lot of stress" after being ram raided for the third time in three years.

The latest break-in at the supermarket in Ahuriri happened during the early hours of Wednesday when burglars broke down the entrance to the store using a truck.

The offenders were unable to get past the damaged entrance and took off empty handed after a few minutes, leaving behind a big clean-up job.

Police are now looking for the offenders and suspect they were targeting an ATM in the foyer area of the supermarket.

Four Square Ahuriri manager Andrew Lee said he believed the offenders were instead after cigarettes which had been targeted in the past by burglars.

Damage to the front of the Four Square on Wednesday morning. Photo / Paul Taylor

He said his parents had owned the business for 11 years and break-ins had sadly started becoming a regular issue about three or four years ago.

Lee said there was a serious break-in roughly once a year now and they had experienced three ram raids in the past three years.

"Three or four years ago it started happening quite regularly," he said. "I think it is increasing."

He said the latest ram raid was captured on CCTV footage about 12.55am on Wednesday.

Lee did not want to release the footage publicly but said a light-coloured truck about 7m long could be seen, and it appeared to be carrying at least three offenders. He said the truck had a tray on the back similar to a ute.

The main entrance to the Four Square in Ahuriri has since been boarded up. Photo / Paul Taylor

He said it remained at the site for about three or four minutes.

Their alarm system activated and the security company and police rang Lee soon after.

"Nothing was physically taken but it is a lot of stress."

Lee said the security wall which was rammed this week had only been up for a few months.

"We are planning to replace the door with an even stronger door now."

He added they would be removing the ATM from the foyer for security reasons.

Lee said in the past, police had not managed to catch offenders involved in break-ins at the store.

He said he did not know what would help the situation but more patrols in the area would be welcome.

A cafe across the road from the supermarket, Cafe Ahuriri, was also broken into last Monday.

Eastern District Police acting area commander Inspector Martin James said this week that the ram raid was being investigated and would not be tolerated.

"Police are actively seeking to locate the people involved in the incident in Ahuriri [on Wednesday morning] and intend to hold them accountable for their actions," James said.

At the end of May, the Meeanee Hotel just outside Napier was also ram raided and an ATM was stolen.

Police have since arrested and charged two people over that incident.