Storm Rides Mt Albert scooter shop was broken into twice last week by a lone thief. Video/ Supplied
An Auckland scooter shop owner can’t sleep at night after being plagued by repeat ram raids and break-ins.
“I have this constant thought about whether we would get broken into and if that sale I just did is a fraud?” Storm Rides owner David Cranwell told the Herald.
Cranwell’s MtAlbert scooter shop has been ram raided twice last week. It was burgled by the same crowbar-wielding thief twice.
“It is stressful. In the back of my mind, the thought’s always present, what will happen next, how will they get in this time. I end up checking cameras at night. It is hard to sleep,” he said.
A thief armed with a crowbar broke into Storm Riders scooter shop in Mt Albert, Auckland twice last week. Photo / Supplied
“We got notified and came to the shop. Police showed up pretty quickly, I am happy with their response. They were very good. We temporarily fixed the door thinking we could get it properly done on Monday.
“But the guy came back on Sunday at 10pm.”
Cranwell said this time the thief allegedly took a brand new scooter still in its packing worth at least $6000.
“Even the fog cannons went out this time. He had that crowbar with him.”
Cranwell described watching on CCTV footage the thief trying to fit the whole package into the boot of his sedan, but the door did not shut properly. Despite this he still drove off.
A crowbar-wielding thief steals a scooter from Storm Rides shop in Mt Albert, Auckland despite fog cannons being activated. Photo / Supplied
Cranwell’s shop has been targeted by ram raiders previously and bollards had not deterred many of the offenders.
“We installed them but even then they found a way around and raided the store.
“We have had to re-enforce the door so it is hard to break into.”
As a small business owner having to pay thousands of dollars on heightened security cameras and other measures had been tough, he said.
“It doesn’t feel like this issue is being taken seriously by the government.”
Yesterday, police said they had arrested a 30-year-old man in relation to the burglary.
He is facing theft and firearm-related charges.
If raids were not enough, Cranwell said the business’ e-commerce side was being attacked by frauds.
“People use stolen credit cards online to make purchases. It is a massive problem. About 20 per cent of all sales could be fraudulent. And you can’t call the police about it because it is rarely followed up.
“We have had to invest a lot of money to get protective features to prevent such incidents.
“Some people would steal cards, make purchases, rent an Airbnb get stuff delivered there and then just disappear. We get calls from real card owners that they never made that purchase.”
