Police warn it's only a matter of time until someone dies as New Zealand sees a ram raid epidemic.
Brazen, efficient and devastating, last night a Mount Roskill store was raided. The owners are too scared to go on camera, terrified they will be targeted again.
Similar scenes play out every night across the country - a group of eight attempted to ram-raid the Kauriland Gas Station in Titirangi last night.
"I'm feeling sick man, it's getting hard, business is down hit, everyone is struggling, I'm one of them," owner Kanna Sharma said.
The bollards outside Sharma's store stopped the raiders from getting inside, but it still caused $3000 worth of damage.
On the other side of Auckland, the Mairangi Bay Dairy was also hit. In this case, they did get inside, stealing cash and vape products.
"Three boys and one girl. They took almost one minute in store, they broke the glass and cigarette cabinet," manager Rahul Mangrola said.
Down the country in Christchurch, a Thirsty Liquore storefront was completely smashed. The owner said he thinks the offenders just wanted to show off rather than steal anything.
"A sense of lawless is gripping not just Auckland but New Zealand at the moment. This needs to be stopped," Dairy and Business Owners Group chair Sunny Kaushal said.
"It is an epidemic. It needs to be stopped."
On average there are 40 ram raids every month, and as raids become more common they are becoming more daring too.
The Ormiston Town Centre Mall was targeted on Monday night. The sight of a terrified cleaner fleeing the young offenders was a reminder of the danger they pose not just to property but to people too.
"I'm afraid soon or later someone will get killed," Kaushal said.
Detective Inspector Karen Bright shared the same concern.
"It involves stealing cars, fleeing and driving into buildings. One of the real worries we have is that it is a tragedy waiting to happen," she said.
"We are actively investigating every offence."
Police Minister Poto Williams insists the Government is not soft on crime and police are properly resourced to deal with it.
"They've got sufficient funding, they've got lots of people coming into the police. We're raising the number of police by 1800."
Auckland Councillor Efeso Collins said communities need to take responsibility and control their young people too.
"This is the manifestation of young men, in particular, they feel unloved and unwanted. When this behaviour happens it's because they're looking for friendship, food, comradery somewhere else."
