East Auckland Cockle Bay Four Square raided on two nights, six youths arrested

An East Auckland corner grocery store has been targeted by thieves over two consecutive nights - and just hours after a busted metal roller door was repaired from the first heist.

Cockle Bay Four Square staff are this morning cleaning up smashed bottles and wrecked displays after the store was hit by a group of six wielding crowbars to jemmy their way into the shop.

Police this morning confirmed six youths had been tracked to an Ōtara address after their getaway car was spiked and were now facing court action. One had been referred to Youth Aid.

It comes amid a spate of violent raids and attacks on Auckland businesses over the past 72 hours: a West Auckland petrol station ram-raid early on Thursday, a daylight attack on a Pt Chevalier dairy owner, and a ram-raid at a Spark Mobile store in a Takanini shopping centre.

“It seems to be the price of doing business in Auckland these days,” a worker at the Litten Rd shop said today.

The worker, who did not want to be named, said the store’s roller door had been busted through on both occasions.

“We repaired it yesterday and they’ve come back and done the same thing again,” the exasperated shopkeeper said.

Wine and cigarettes were allegedly stolen in the robbery.

Some of those involved in the robbery disguised their faces, but others didn’t bother, he said.

“There’s alcohol all over the floor,” he said.

The situation was frustrating to deal with.

While the store had bollards installed at the front entrance, the offenders in last night’s raid used brute force and tools.

The store’s owner was now brainstorming options to bolster security.

Photos of the earlier raid on Thursday night shows wine bottles scattered on the footpath outside the shop and discarded cardboard boxes in the shop’s entrance.

Inside the store’s wine section, shattered glass from smashed bottles litters the floor and a mat is saturated in large wine stains.

Police said they were called to a burglary at the Howick convenience store around 2am.

Entry into the store was forced and several offenders left in a vehicle, a spokesperson said.

“Police staff observed a vehicle on Meadowland Dr and successfully deployed spikes which brought the vehicle to a halt a short time later.

“Police located and arrested six youths at a Preston Rd address.”

The spokesperson said five youths were due to appear in the Manukau District Court today on several charges related to last night’s incident.

One has been referred to Youth Aid.