Napier shop King of Swords ram-raided twice in three days

The shop has been targeted in a ram-raid for the second time this week. Photo / NZME

A sword and gift shop in Napier CBD has been ram-raided for the second time in three days following a “deeply concerning” rise in the style of offending in the city centre.

King of Swords on Emerson St, a niche gift store which stocks knives and swords among a wide variety of other items, was smashed into early on Wednesday, with police called about 4.30am.

It marked the second ram-raid in just three days at the store, following a similar incident on Monday morning involving a group of youths.

It also marked the fourth reported ram-raid in just two weeks across Napier, following similar thefts at a Cosmic vape store on Emerson St on January 11 and Ahuriri Corner Store on January 18.

Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise has labelled the rise in CBD ram-raids as “deeply concerning”, and said the council was looking into ways to deter offenders.

“Together with police and Napier City Business, we are currently investigating long and short-term measures designed to deter offenders from entering the CBD.”

However, she did not say whether that would include blocking vehicles from entering Emerson St - the city’s main shopping strip.

Emerson St once had retractable bollards to stop traffic entering. Photo / Paul Taylor

“As an immediate measure, as of [Tuesday] night we have started monitoring our CCTV cameras overnight.”

A King of Swords representative declined to comment on the spate of thefts.

Meanwhile, Peter Bailey, owner of Life Pharmacy Napier on Emerson St, said roughly 20 years ago, there were retractable bollards used at each end of the street.

He said from what he could remember, they were put up at night and taken down in the morning.

He said he would not be opposed to that deterrent returning. However, he said it may lead to, rather than prevent, anti-social behaviour if there were no vehicles such as police cars able to drive along the street.

“I’m certainly against closing Emerson St off during the day,” he said.

“We have elderly people that are dropped off, the couriers come down the street dropping things off, and the cars coming down bring a bit of vibrancy.”

King of Swords in Napier following the first ram-raid on Monday. Photo / NZME

He said another idea could be bringing back more solid planter boxes to prevent cars from getting onto the footpath.

Another long-standing Emerson St shop owner, who did not want to be named, said when the street was briefly shut off to all traffic a couple of decades ago, “it became a free for all”.

He said there was an uptick in graffiti, skateboarding and property being damaged by youths.

“Police could not drive down it and had to walk the length of the street,” he said, of police trying to stop the bad behaviour.

He said it also became problematic for ambulances wanting to get up the street.

“They then decided to open [the street] up again.”

He said he really felt for King of Swords following the ram-raids this week, and shoplifting in general had “been a nightmare” for businesses.

A police spokesperson said a vehicle was used to gain entry to the Emerson St premises on Wednesday morning during the latest ram-raid.

“The offenders appear to have fled the scene in a second vehicle. Enquiries are ongoing to determine what was taken and to locate the offenders.”