Footage shows a car crashed into the Bottle-O in Te Puke. Video / Supplied
A Te Puke liquor store owner is “angry” and “frustrated” after ram-raiders caused thousands of dollars of damage then fled, leaving a car “literally” inside his shop.
Bottle-O Te Puke store owner Jaspreet Singh said the entire store was damaged after a white station wagon smashed through the front entrance roller door this morning.
He said the front counter and was pushed right to the back of the store.
The station wagon was left ”literally” inside the shop when the offenders fled in a second vehicle, he said.
Singh said alcohol was stolen but given the scale of damages – including lots of smashed stock and damages to the counter, internet modem, till and security equipment – he was still trying to establish the full extent of his losses.
He estimated the new shop frontage alone would “easily” cost $10,000 and other damages and lost stock could be another $20,000. This included an entire shelving unit of alcohol near the front door being smashed as the raiders fled.
While he was insured, Singh said his insurance excess was $3000 to $4000.
“I have owned the store for 15 years and this is the first time something like this has happened to me. It’s very frustrating and I’m angry as it feels there is little we can do other than pay for extra security measures.”
He said he knew of other ram-raided stores and like many other owners he “felt helpless”, but hoped he could reopen the store tomorrow.
“This has had a huge impact on the business. It’s not only the cost of the repairs and replacing lost stock, it’s meant lost sales and a lot of stress and inconvenience for us and our customers.”
Singh said in Hamilton similar businesses had erected steel-caged barriers in front of their shops that cost maybe $10,000 and he believed “ruined” the look of the stores.
“We need the Government to make sure that when offenders are caught there are serious consequences for them and harsher penalties to deter them from doing again.”
A police spokeswoman earlier said police were notified of a burglary at a commercial premises on Jellicoe St about 2.48am today.
“A vehicle was used to gain access to the premises,” the spokeswoman said.
“Alcohol was stolen before the offenders fled in two vehicles. One vehicle was located abandoned on Te Matai Rd.”
Damage at the Te Puke Bottle-O store after a ram raid this morning. Photo / Stuart Whitaker
A video sent to the Bay of Plenty Times shows a car crashed into the Bottle-O, damaging the roller door.
A police spokesman confirmed inquiries into the ram-raid burglary were ongoing and no arrests had been made.
Anyone with helpful information is urged to come forward to the police.
Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.
