Decline in ram raids in Northland due to efficient justice system, say researchers

The front doors of GAS Ruakaka were damaged in an early morning ram raid last year. Photo / NZME

Ram raids going “out of fashion” in Northland can be credited to a working justice system, researchers suggest.

Police figures show that such incidents are down by about 82 per cent for the months leading up to April this year compared with 2023, a pattern similar to the national trend.

Only two incidents have been identified as ram raids until April this year in Northland compared with 11 from last year.

Former Whangārei MP and criminal legal researcher Emily Henderson said the drop in figures was “good news.

“I would speculate that what we are seeing is that the system is working.”

Data also showed that from the 1347 offenders caught nationally since 2022, about 80 per cent of the ram raids were committed by young people aged 10 to 17.

Henderson said that police were “well aware” of the small “group of children” involved in such incidents and were constantly working with them and their families alongside other aspects of the justice systems.

Northland District Commander Superintendent Matt Srhoj confirmed the view and said that such issues were complex and needed the support of their partners and wider communities.

“We need to work together to achieve long-term change and solutions,” Srhoj said.

Henderson said kids who had to appear in youth court for such incidents had to undergo a more intensive process than in the adult criminal court system.

“They have to front up to their family and face the judge multiple times and deal with real consequences. We must understand that these youths have been abandoned and victims of multiple family violence episodes and like all children were desperate for attention.”

When their parents were unable to do so, the kids resorted to committing crimes like ram raids. Then they upload their activities to social media platforms such as Tik Tok where they receive “immense satisfaction” from social media feedback, Henderson said.

Emily Henderson was impressed with the way the police were proactive in dealing with offenders. photo/ Michael Cunningham

“So, hats off to our local professionals like talented judges, the police and Oranga Tamariki staff who I believe help replace this negative attention with positive. And this is what you’d expect to see,” she said.

University of Otago Department of Psychological Medicine professor Joe Boden said that about 80 per cent of crimes like ram raids were carried out by about 20 per cent of people.

“So when they are arrested and dealt with, there is a natural decrease.”

There were a total of 37 ram raids identified by Northland police in 2022 while the following year saw the number drop to 21 incidents, figures provided by police show.

Superintendent Srhoj credited Police’s hard work and action in the region had contributed to such a decline.

Matt Srhoj says police work with small retailers who have been the victims of ram raids or aggravated robbery through our Retail Crime Prevention Programme, which provides security interventions and prevention advice. Photo / Michael Cunningham

However, he said that officers were also aware that some of the youth involved in undertaking ram raids were also involved in undertaking aggravated robberies.

“This is an area that also has a strong enforcement focus for Police,” he said.

Boden felt the government would be better off following through with what is working now rather than introducing failed experiments like boot camps to act tougher on crime.

He also didn’t believe the Ram Raid Offending and Related Measures Amendment Bill which would give police the power to prosecute children as young as 12 with 10 years in prison was beneficial.

“Imagine a 12-year-old who has problems in school, and at home and isn’t getting the attention they need. They commit crimes and are sent to prison for a long time.

“What you end up getting is a 22-year-old hardened criminal whose chances to change their life around are much worse than when they were first imprisoned.”

Joe Boden says youth offenders do not consider ram raids to be trendy anymore.

Boden said that the fact that people felt okay to implement such measures pointed out the failure of society to help such kids.

Henderson shared his sentiment.

She said the point of the Bill was to allow family and district courts more power to offer different solutions and not criminalise children.

“While I support the spirit of that idea. I don’t think it was the right way to go myself.”

Both Henderson and Boden felt that the public should put more faith in the justice system, which is now showing the results.

Srhoj said Police take ram raids seriously and take careful measures to prevent them and hold offenders to account.

“Anybody undertaking such vicious, destructive, and cowardly attacks can expect to be met with the full force of policing.”

Avneesh Vincent is the crime and emergency services reporter at the Northern Advocate. He was previously at the Gisborne Herald as the arts and environment reporter and is passionate about covering stories that can make a difference. He joined NZME in July 2023.