'They keep coming back': Downtown dairy latest ram raid target

An inner city dairy owner is the latest ram raid victim as this Wynyard Mart Convenience Store on Halsey St was hit early this morning.

Police were called to the scene around 12.45am, and CCTV footage sighted by the Herald showed a vehicle pulling up outside the store at 12.39am. It reversed at speed into the store causing significant damage.

Four masked men came out of the vehicle, entered Wynyard Mart and jumped over the store's counter but appeared to have left empty handed after being frightened off by people outside the store.

Ram raiders reversed a car into the store just after midnight. Photo /Hayden Woodward

A person could be heard shouting, "You f**king dogs, what are you f**king doing robbing it? You f**king idiots."

Owner Adel al Omoush was emotional when he spoke to the Herald, and believes the damages would be between $20,000-$30,000.

"I have run this store for 12 years, not even a single problem of anyone annoying us, then in the last year we were hit three times. They keep coming back," al Omoush said.

"Keeps happening again and again, it's everywhere and this government, the police, they're helpless in doing anything."

The burglars were in and out of the store within 15 seconds. Photo / Hayden Woodward

After his door was smashed a second time, al Omoush said he asked the landlord to get bollards in front of the store, but his request was declined.

He said the masked men were in and out of the store in 15 seconds but the damage they caused was extensive.

"I don't feel safe anymore, I used to run two convenience stores in the CBD too but I closed those...I don't know whether you've been to the city recently, but it's just too dangerous.

"This is my last store and my main source of income, today I will see my lawyer and landlord after cleaning up and hope something can be done."

Police statistics show ram raids have increased by more than 500 per cent for the first six months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2018.