Police are working to identify the people who used a vehicle to break into an east Auckland superette before helping themselves to various items and then fleeing.
A police spokesperson says an investigation is under way into a ram-raid incident at the shop in Wharf Road, Bucklands Beach.
“The incident occurred just before 4am on January 19 where a vehicle was used to force entry into the premises.
“Our enquiries are still in the very early stages into the burglary.”
CCTV footage of the incident at Centre Superette seen by the Times shows a white vehicle parked outside the shop as another white vehicle pulls up and stops beside it at about 2.11am on January 19.
Four people quickly get out of the second vehicle and run into the shop, leaving the car’s doors open.
One of the people is wearing tan-coloured trousers.
Two members of the group are dressed in blue shorts.
The fourth person is wearing jeans and a green hooded sweatshirt.
The security camera footage shows all four people immediately go behind the shop’s counter.
One of them uses some type of instrument to try to prise open a cupboard.
They then enter what appears to be a room or area behind and to the side of the counter.
The person wearing tan trousers comes back out carrying an item, exits the shop, and places the item into the second car’s back seat before returning inside.
Another member of the group then picks up a large flat item, shakes it and puts it back onto the counter.
The person in the tan trousers picks it and another item up, goes back outside and places them both inside the second white car.
By now, according to the security camera footage, it’s 2.13am.
The person in tan trousers re-enters the shop and returns to the room or area behind the counter, grabs several more items and runs back outside to place them into the second white car.
Just before 2.15am the group exits the shop, get into the car, and drive off.
Photos taken after the incident show the amount of damage and mess the group of thieves caused to the business.
Two doors that would have been at the front of the shop are lying at angles about a metre inside it after having been struck by the vehicle.
An orange road cone is tipped over and lying on the ground inside the entrance.
Pieces of paper and other items are scattered on the floor around the shop.
There’s also a large mess behind the counter.
Several large pieces of electrical equipment are lying on the ground while still connected to power cords.
A desk is covered in white dust and there are numerous broken pieces of plaster beneath a hole in the wall above it.
The incident sparked anger in the community with a post on a local social media page drawing more than 100 comments.
Many people expressed disgust at the thieves while others described how kind the shop’s owners are to customers.
People with information on the incident can phone police on 105 quoting reference number P49353586, or phone the free and anonymous Crimestoppers tip-off line on 0800 555 111.
