Thieves smash through service station doors

On the scene: Acting sergeant Gary McKernon of the Dannevirke Police, with James Kendrick, staff member at BP Connect in the forecourt after an attempted smash a grab raid in the early hours of Monday

Thieves have smashed their way into a Dannevirke service station overnight, but left virtually empty-handed.

This is the third similar incident in Dannevirke in a month.

"In the early hours of Monday morning, at approximately 1.45, a van pulled up outside Dannevirke's BP Connect and two guys got out and smashed their way through the service station door with a sledgehammer," acting sergeant Gary McKernon of the Dannevirke Police said.

"They were targeting the cigarette cases, but the cigarettes were locked away and they only got away with a few inactivate music gift cards."

Mr McKernon said there are CCTV security cameras in the service station and around Dannevirke and police have some great leads on the vehicle they are looking for.

"They're being following up this morning as the police forensic team gathers fingerprint evidence," Mr McKernon said.

"This time the culprits broke in and found the cupboard bare. We'd advise businesses to lock away cigarettes at night and leave the cupboard doors open so they can be seen from outside. This may stop people breaking in because it seems cigarettes are becoming sought-after."

This latest burglary attempt follows an aggravated robbery at Dannevirke's Caltex Westlow in mid March when two offenders pointed a pistol at the attendant and got away with cash and cigarettes.

Police have arrested the two alleged offenders, but have yet to apprehend the person armed with a crowbar who got away with cash 48-hours later from Dannevirke's Four Square.