Auckland crime: Vape store in East Tāmaki targeted by thieves overnight

An East Auckland vape store owner has woken up to another “nightmare” as two child robbers, one who looked as young as 8, ransacked a store before stealing thousands of dollars worth of products.

Police were called to Dark Vapes on Springs Rd in East Tāmaki in the early hours of this morning after reports of a smash-and-grab incident.

Dark Vapes owner Rakib Howlader told the Herald his store - which has been targeted by burglars more than 20 times - was hit by two hammer-wielding child robbers in the latest raid.

“Two of them smashed their way into the shop using a hammer. They were inside for five minutes and took a lot of devices worth around $5000.

“The video footage shows one was just about eight years old and the other looked 12 or 14.

“There is glass everywhere we are not touching anything because police want to do a forensic examination.”

The Dark Vapes store on Springs Rd, in Auckland's East Tamaki, was targeted by thieves overnight. Photo / Hayden Woodward

Police revealed an initial attempt to get in was unsuccessful. After they left the scene the store was hit for a second time in a matter of hours.

Howlader said this type of criminal activity had become a normal occurrence for him.

“I am pretty used to it now.

“It is quite depressing and frustrating. It is a nightmare now.

“Because you see it happen every day. Like it can happen tonight.”

Commenting on the age of the alleged offenders, Howlader laid the blame with parents saying they “should know where their child is at 1.30am.”

An eyewitness said rocks and several empty vape cartons were scattered on the ground outside the store.

Photos from the scene show at least two huge rocks among smashed pieces of glass outside the store’s front windows and glass door entrance.

Large rocks were found outside the Dark Vapes shop in East Tamaki, Auckland, overnight. Photo / Hayden Woodward

A scene guard was put in place overnight as police investigate.

A police spokesperson said they were called following a burglary at a commercial premises on Springs Rd, East Tamaki overnight.

“At about 1.42am, police received a report of people entering the property and attempting to break in.”

Initially, they were unsuccessful but the offenders returned and were successful, the police spokesperson said.

The offenders took a number of items and police inquiries were continuing.

Police figures released on Thursday showed ram raids have climbed to an average of more than two a day.

There were at least 388 “ram raid style events” in a six-month period to the end of May, including 99 which remained unsolved, the, Herald reported.

During the six-month period, police said there were 218 prosecutions for ram raids, while 86 young people were referred to Police Youth Services.

Last year, police recorded 516 ram raids around the country.

Akula Sharma is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2022. She has previously worked at the Gisborne Herald.