A vape store in central Christchurch was broken into in the early hours of this morning, only a month after opening its doors. Video / Supplied
The store manager of a vape store in central Christchurch is this morning sweeping up glass after his shop was targeted in a break-in and burglary - a month after it had opened.
Police confirmed four youths wearing balaclavas smashed their way into the Hukka Vape Shop on Wise St,Addington just after 2am this morning.
Manager Rishabh Bhateja said he got a call from his alarm company - alerting him to the break-in in the early hours of the morning. He arrived at his store to find a number of people were already at the scene, including police.
He has been at his store since 2.30am, sweeping up glass and reviewing the damage. CCTV footage from his shop showed the group of young people busting through internal cabinets, grabbing hundreds of dollars of vape products in less than a minute.
CCTV footage showed a group of young people smashing their way into the store. Photo / Nathan Morton
Bhateja said the store had already gathered a lot of interest since its opening only a month ago.
"This was the fourth store and the biggest one we had. We were quite excited and already people had lots of interest."
The shop front now has glass strewn onto the pavement outside. Inside the store shows clear signs of a break-in - glass covers most of the floor and broken product can be seen still sitting on the shelves. Multiple cabinets have been smashed in, including some at the back of the store.
Ram raids and break-ins have littered New Zealand businesses since the start of the year, prompting funding from Government to support those most affected. A camera shop in Merivale and two smaller stores in Yaldhurst were the targets of ram raids on September 30, while other stores in Lincoln and Halswell have also been targeted in recent months across Christchurch.
Hukka Vape in Addington, Chirstchurch was broken into a month after opening. Photo / Nathan Morton
On last night's incident, police confirmed they haven't made any arrests as of yet in connection to the break-in. A spokesperson said inquiries are ongoing.
As for Hukka Vape Shop, it's back to square one as it looks to recover losses and start over.
"I need to clean a lot of things; we'll maybe be closed for a week or so," said Bhateja.
