Third Hawke's Bay Four Square ram raided in two weeks

Another Four Square supermarket in Napier has been ram raided and badly damaged during the third incident of its kind in less than two weeks.

A car, believed to be stolen, slammed into Four Square Bayview on the outskirts of Napier on Saturday about 3.20am.

The offenders drove it through a metal bollard at the front of the store before crashing into the shop.

Three offenders can then be seen on CCTV footage raiding the store and stealing about $400 cash, tobacco, lighters and chewing gum, before fleeing in a second vehicle.

The damage was severe to the front of the supermarket including smashed windows and a broken front wall.

Four Square Bayview was badly damaged in the ram raid on Saturday morning. Photo / Paul Taylor

It follows two similar ram raids at Four Square Ahuriri in Napier on July 20 and Four Square Frimley in Hastings last Tuesday.

All three Four Square stores suffered significant damage during the raids.

Police are still looking for offenders involved in the three incidents.

Four Square Bayview manager Thomas Jung said his family had owned the supermarket for 20 years and had never seen this happen before.

"It adds a lot of stress, [on Saturday] night we stayed up through the night because we had to be ready in case they came back."

He said they took it in turns to keep an eye on the store.

The owners of the store have been left with a big clean-up job, following the third ram raid on Four Squares in the region. Photo / Paul Taylor

Jung said watching the CCTV footage, it appeared the offenders were all young people.

"One of them was barely taller than the counter."

When asked what he would like to see done to help tackle the concerning problem, he said he believed the police should be better funded.

He also said that the parents of these young offenders had a lot to answer for.

"People can blame teachers or the police but they can't really do much if the parents are s*****"

He said they would be installing stronger bollards outside the shop.

Three offenders, believed to be young people, raid the store on Saturday morning. Photo / Supplied

Eastern District Police area prevention manager Inspector Martin James earlier said it was concerning to see copycat offences like these.

"While not at the level we are seeing around some parts of the country, it is certainly concerning we have copycat offending."

Meanwhile, a liquor store in Havelock North, Big Barrel, was also badly damaged in another break-in on Saturday morning about 9.35am.

At the end of May, the Meeanee Hotel just outside of Napier was ram raided and an ATM was stolen. Police have since arrested two people in relation to that incident.

Contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 if you have information that could help police concerning the ram raids in Hawke's Bay.