Police are investigating after a vehicle was used in a ram-raid burglary of an east Auckland fuel station.
A police spokesperson says the vehicle was used to force entry to the BP Connect on Chapel Road in Northpark just after midnight on June 14.
“Offenders have begun stealing cigarettes from the store before the fog canon has activated and forced them to flee the area.
“Our enquiries are ongoing into the burglary.”
A BP spokesperson told the Times the company is assisting police with their investigation.
“None of our team were at the site at the time.
“At BP, the safety of our customers and team members is our first priority.
“We work closely with the police and have CCTV technology at all our BP Connect sites.
“The site will reopen later this morning [June 14].”
Video footage of the scene following the ram-raid shows police officers looking at a white Toyota hatchback vehicle in front of the fuel station’s store.
There’s a large amount of glass on the ground and part of the entry doors have broken off.
The fuel station was closed to customers when the Times visited the scene at about 10am on June 14.
Yellow tape had been placed across the entrance and timber had been used to board over damage caused to the store.
Work to repair the extensive damage began shortly afterward.
The incident comes amid a spate of such crimes across the city and locally including several recent ram-raids carried out at Ormiston Town Centre in Flat Bush and at liquor and jewellery stores in Howick.
People with information on the incident can phone police on 105 quoting file number 220614/6615 or phone the free and anonymous Crimestoppers tip-off line on 0800 555 111.
