SMASHED: Burglars plough stolen car through liquor shop

Ram-raid burglars have ploughed through a Rotorua liquor store in a stolen car - leaving a trail of twisted metal and shattered glass.


The thieves crashed through two metal roller doors and left the car inside the store, before stealing alcohol and making their getaway.


The scene at Ford Block Wholesale Liquor Store on Ford Rd yesterday was littered with broken glass panes, debris, smashed liquor bottles, and fridge doors forced off their hinges.


Alarmed neighbours woke at 2.15am to the sound of a loud crash.


Store owner Jatinder Badh told The Daily Post: "We have been here for the past four years and nothing like this has ever happened.


"It's just one of those things. The security company rang me and they wanted me to be there and when I arrived there were police cars all around. I saw the car had gone through the roller doors. It really surprised me," he said.


A skillsaw was needed to cut the mangled roller door away so the vehicle, with the car keys still in the ignition, could be removed.


Mr Badh said the total cost of fixing the damage was likely to be about $10,000.


"The roller door will cost about $3000 to replace and the rest would be stock. There wasn't too much damage to the shop, apart from broken bottles."


He said he was able to re-open the store about 2pm yesterday.


Senior Sergeant Brent Crowe confirmed a vehicle was stolen from a property in Wrigley Rd shortly before the ram raid. "That vehicle was then used to gain entry to the liquor store.


"A quantity of alcohol was taken, however just how much has not been confirmed as the shop owner is yet to do a stocktake," Mr Crowe said.


A 19-year-old Rotorua man was arrested yesterday and was to appear in the Rotorua District Court today facing a charge of burglary and one of theft of a motor vehicle.


Police said there could be further arrests.


A woman who lives near the liquor store said the attack left her nervous.


Another neighbour, who did not want to be named for security reasons, said she was too scared to sleep after the incident.


"I heard a big crash over there and I looked out the window and I saw someone running, but I was too scared to go out and have a look or to call the police," the neighbour said.


"I was quite scared and I have been up watching TV since it happened."


The manager of the nearby S & R Fordlands Food Centre and Lotto Outlet, Arif Ahmat, said there was little shop owners could do.


"It could happen to everybody, you know? Never mind how secure you are," Mr Ahmat said.


"If a car rams your store at speed, what else can you do?"