Workers replacing the glass in front of the Gucci store in Queen St. Photo / Craig Kapitan
Workers replacing the glass in front of the Gucci store in Queen St. Photo / Craig Kapitan
In the past four weeks a spate of brazen ram raids have left some of Auckland's most expensive stores, and dairies and malls in debris.
Ram raids are an almost daily occurrence in Auckland with police revealing the majority of offenders, 88 per cent, are under the age of 20- with most as young as 17.
It is a worrying trend for retailers as the young burglars are becoming more brazen with their targets and their tactics, and the costs to protect businesses and insurances keep skyrocketing.
Two west Auckland businesses were the latest businesses to be targeted in the string of attacks.
On Tuesday night, a group of eight used four vehicles in an attempt to ram-raid GAS Kaurilands petrol station in Titirangi, but the bollards stopped the burglars in their tracks.
Offenders attempted to ram raid Kaurilands GAS in Titirangi on Tuesday night. Photo / Supplied
Earlier, it is understood that they had tried to get into the Kaurilands Superette, neighbour of the service station.
The group were able to get away before police arrived.
Ormiston mall ram-raid
Earlier, on Tuesday morning, three vehicles and dozens of offenders ransacked their way through east Auckland's Ormiston Mall, smashing into Postie and Noel Leeming.
The terrifying incident was caught on CCTV footage.
"The offenders' behaviour and manner of driving has endangered security and cleaning staff working in the retail complex at the time," said police.
CCTV image of a brazen ram raid involving three cars and 16 people at the Ormiston Town Centre in south Auckland in the early hours of April 26. Image / Newshub
Multiple offenders entered three stores and stole a number of electronic devices and clothes, they said.
It was the fourth time that mall had been targeted in 12 months.
Police are yet to make any arrests.
Four Squares targetted
Martina Four Square owner Jaswinder Singh is feeling "frustrated" and "sick" after his store in Thames was hit on Sunday for the fourth time since December.
The offenders tried to steal cigarettes, but damaged counters blocked their way to the cabinet.
They however caused thousands of dollars in damage to the store.
Offenders smashed their way through the front of the Martina Four Square on Monday. Photo / Facebook
To replace the counter alone would cost around $16,000, said Singh.
On the same day, a Four Square in Papamoa was hit by ram raiders at 4.30am.
That same night the entrance to Minami Motors on Panmure Highway in Mount Wellington was destroyed in a ram raid. The vehicle used in the raid was left at the scene as the offenders fled.
The entrance to Minami Motors on Panmure Highway in Mount Wellington was destroyed in a ram raid on Sunday evening. The vehicle used in the raid was left at the scene as the offenders fled. 10 Ap
Youth hit Sandringham superette and flee
Nine offenders, including an 11-year-old driver, were caught by police following a burglary at a Sandringham superette in the evening on April 7.
Residents had quickly called police just after 1am and reported three vehicles travelling in a suspicious manner west towards Sandringham.
Police arrived to find that nine youths had ransacked the store with a vehicle.
The youths escaped in a Toyota Aqua, with a number of stolen goods, travelling at dangerous speeds along Sandringham Rd before abandoning it for a second stolen vehicle and taking to the motorway.
The police helicopter tracked the vehicle and they were eventually stopped using road spikes in Clevedon. All nine offenders were located a short distance away.
