Thieves snatch smokes in seconds

REPAIRS: Bernie Whyte works on Ruatangata Motors, which was ram raided yesterday. PHOTO/JOHN STONE

A 60-second ram raid on a Northland garage saw gloved thieves make off with a cabinet filled with thousands of dollars worth of tobacco and cigarettes.

The double doors of Ruatangata Motors, also know as GAS Ruatangata, on Pipiwai Rd, were demolished by thieves using a stolen car, who then ripped a tobacco cabinet from the wall about 3am yesterday.

Security camera footage of the heist shows glass shattering through the shop as a reversing red car strikes the front doors at speed. Almost immediately the doors are smashed, the car is driven forward and two men run into the shop dressed in hooded sweatshirts, with the hoods pulled over their heads. They were also wearing gloves.

Off camera it only takes seconds for the duo to rip the locked tobacco cabinet from the wall.

The men are then seen running to the car which is parked just outside the front door, where it appears they shove the cabinet onto the backseat through the door behind the driver.

The car then sped off along Three Mile Bush Rd.

The theft has devastated the owner, who did not want to be named. He lives on site and was woken by a loud crash.

"I thought there had been a vehicle accident out on the road so I rushed through to have a look. Then I checked the security footage that's running all the time," he said.

But by the time he made it down stairs he reckons he missed the thieves by 90 seconds.

He estimated the extensive damage to be nearly $30,000.

"They must have had a hammer and a jimmy bar to rip the cabinet off the wall. It was quick and well planned because it took them less than a minute and they must have known I lived here."

The owner said the car used by the thieves was stolen from Hikurangi and had since been found by police.

-To help, contact Whangarei police on 4304500 or Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.