"I thought they ... worked at the noodle house, as they were hanging around there – I thought they were going to open up and start cooking or something.
"Then the car just came from nowhere, mounted the kerb and in it went. They didn't reverse into the store - they drove front first," he said.
"I thought 'what the hell is happening, is this really happening right in front of me'?"
A clothing store in Panmure, eastern Auckland, is the latest shop to be targeted in a ram raid. Photo / Hayden Woodward
Several ram raids around the Auckland region in the past few weeks have targeted high-end retail stores in the central city or at shopping malls. The store targeted overnight was not.
"It's a clothing store - not even high-end. Like there are TV stores and other stores, but they choose this clothing store, for what? A few handfuls of clothing, look at the damage.
"Kind of seems like they are just doing it for the thrill of it," he said.
Police confirmed they are making inquiries into the ram raid and are working to identify those involved; including reviewing CCTV footage and speaking to witnesses.
At least two offenders are being sought.
Authorities are urging anyone who has information to contact police immediately.
The incident comes after a Government announcement relating to ram raids was made yesterday.
More than $550 million more for frontline police, a new firearms unit and a package to help businesses protect themselves from ram raids has been promised in a Government Budget pre-announcement.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said today that the Government hoped to start a conversation with retail associations and representatives following yesterday's funding announcement.
She said they intended to design a system for small businesses that need additional support following an increase of offending, especially of ram-raids.
Bollards, fog cannons and other security measures would considered she told AM.
Questioned on relaxing the rules to be able to install bollards easier, Ardern said central government would be working closely with local government.
"What we can do as central government is work with local government to say, if we're going to be helping to support funding of additional security measures how can we work with you to make sure we can get those implemented quickly."
Ardern said the idea that the Government had become weak on crime was "just wrong."
"What we are doing differently is not just dealing with the consequences, if you offend in this country, you must be held to account," she said.
"At the same time, you also need to prevent people from entering organised crime in the first place, so you have to do both."
Police Minister Poto Williams made the announcements in Auckland alongside Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis and Justice Minister Kris Faafoi.
Police and Corrections will get $562 million over four years.
"We've all seen the news recently on gangs and ram raids," Faafoi said at the outset of a press conference yesterday.
"New Zealanders have a right to a justice system that makes our communities safe."
The burglary happened about 2am at the Big Broz shop on Queens Rd in the suburb of Panmure. Photo / Hayden Woodward
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster welcomed the new investments.
Opposition parties, however, have said that no amount of money will make up for what they described as the Government's "soft on crime" approach.
Williams this morning told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking that "soft on crime" perception was untrue, as demonstrated by yesterday's pre-Budget announcement.
She said a range of measures would be used to help businesses amid the spike in ram raids.
But she refused to be drawn on what they could be, saying the Government would ask small businesses what they needed and then move "at pace".
Targeted funding for a ram raid response had not been included in yesterday's announcement, she said.
"The Budget process is months in the making. The ram raids and the spike that's happening at the moment is a new demand, but it's one that's very concerning for our communities so we want to deal with that outside the Budget cycle."
And she reiterated the ram raids were not just a problem for police to deal with.
"Why are these kids out there in the first place? Why are 7, 8, 9, 10-year-olds out in the middle of the night?"
