A store in Auckland has been targeted by brazen thieves on e-scooters twice, leaving a huge gaping hole where the store's door once was.
The Beauty Store in Newmarket was hit by thieves in what the owner described as an "e-scooter ram-raid" - with the whole crime caught on camera.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, CCTV footage shows a man on an electric scooter shattering the shop's glass entrance with a hammer before bagging loot of expensive hair dryers, straighteners and products.
The man then scooters off, only to return with a female accomplice an hour later to clear out the rest of the stock.
The Beauty Store owner Steve Wilkins told Newshub the damage will take weeks to repair and while they can resume trading, the shop front will be bordered up which will be less inviting for customers to come in.
"There's just no respite. We've had COVID, we've had flooding. It's hard enough as it is without this sort of stuff happening," Wilkins said.
He said his second store has been ram-raided a few years ago and Thursday morning's burglary rehashed similar feelings.
"It's disheartening as a business," Wilkins said.
Wilkins said retail crime is happening everywhere and wishes the Government would do more.
On Sunday, the National Party's police spokesperson, Mark Mitchell, released data showing retail crime has increased by 39 percent in the past year. The figures showed there were 292 retail crime incidents every day in 2022, up from 140 per day in 2018.
And on Wednesday, new police numbers showed there have been dozens more ram raids than initially reported - prompting both the assistant Police Commissioner and Prime Minister to admit process improvement is needed.
Wilkins is hopeful the offenders who targeted his store will soon be off the streets after one of them cut themselves on the glass, which police are examining for DNA.
A police spokesperson confirmed they are investigating the burglary.
The spokesperson said the incident occurred on Broadway and anyone with footage or information that may assist is asked to contact Police via their 105 phone service or online at https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105, using Update My Report.
Please reference file number 230316/8016.
Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
