Hamilton crime spree ram raid at Total Vision Optometrists surveillance. Video / Supplied
Astonishing footage has captured the moment flames shoot from the engine of a car used to bust through a shop front in Hamilton.
Ram raiders tried to break into Total Vision Optometrists on Grey St in Hamilton East around 2.30am yesterday but their car got stuck in the doorway.
However, the driver continues to accelerate in an effort to get in, causing smoke from the tyres to quickly fill the store and the car to burst into flames.
The vehicle was left running and continued to burn while the offenders fled in a second car, a police spokesperson said.
Ram raiders got their car stuck in the door of Total Vision in Hamilton East on Tuesday morning while trying to break in. Photo / Mike Scott
The store was one of five retailers across the city hit in a three-hour spree of ram raids and burglaries yesterday.
Bottle-O on Borman Rd, TechStore on Horsham Downs Rd, Holland Superette on Holland Rd and Mobil service station on Cambridge Rd were also targeted.
TechStore owner Sandy Kumar said the burglary has made his financial situation worse, just as he was starting to bounce back from the pandemic.
Thieves broke into his store around 2am yesterday and stole approximately $14,000 worth of stock, including laptops that were in for repairs, Kumar said.
Owner of TechStore Sandy Kumar cleans up after his store was smashed into on Tuesday. Photo / Mike Scott
He said he has been under a lot of pressure with a $25,000 debt as a result of the pandemic.
"The last two months the business started to do fine and in the next three or four months I was hoping to be able to pay off at least half of my debt," Kumar said.
Now, Kumar has to pay a $2500 insurance excess and fears he will not be able to pay his rent.
Kumar said the front door was badly damaged and could take three weeks to be replaced. The security system, phones and electrical wires were also broken.
Security footage also captured the moment thieves nearly let their vehicle roll away after ramming Holland Superette.
The convenience store was ram-raided at 5.15am but the thieves were unsuccessful.
Footage given to the Herald shows a white Mazda Atenza ramming the store's roller door.
The driver backs into the door three times before abruptly getting out of the vehicle and forgetting to put it in park. They can then be seen quickly running back and hopping into the vehicle to stop it.
Holland Superette owner Sandip Dodiya out front the store after it was ram raided. Photo / Mike Scott
Meanwhile, another person with gloves and a mask on starts ripping at the door and throws a sign.
A second car can be seen lurking, which the two eventually run towards, and the car takes off.
