Auckland crime: Break-ins, ram raids leave Mt Albert Storm Rides owner in ‘constant stress’

An Auckland scooter shop owner can’t sleep at night after being plagued by repeat ram raids and break-ins.

“I have this constant thought about whether we would get broken into and if that sale I just did is a fraud?” Storm Rides owner David Cranwell told the Herald.

Cranwell’s Mt Albert scooter shop has been ram raided twice last week. It was burgled by the same crowbar-wielding thief twice.

“It is stressful. In the back of my mind, the thought’s always present, what will happen next, how will they get in this time. I end up checking cameras at night. It is hard to sleep,” he said.

A thief armed with a crowbar broke into Storm Riders scooter shop in Mt Albert, Auckland twice last week. Photo / Supplied

Cranwell said when the man first turned up on Thursday minutes before midnight, he banged at the door several times to pop it.

“He had a big long crowbar. He was a big stalky guy wearing casual clothes and his face was covered with a mask, you could only see his eyes.”

The thief stole two scooters the first time, Cranwell said.

“The fog cannons were empty so they did not work on Thursday.

“We got notified and came to the shop. Police showed up pretty quickly, I am happy with their response. They were very good. We temporarily fixed the door thinking we could get it properly done on Monday.

“But the guy came back on Sunday at 10pm.”

Cranwell said this time the thief allegedly took a brand new scooter still in its packing worth at least $6000.

“Even the fog cannons went out this time. He had that crowbar with him.”

Cranwell described watching on CCTV footage the thief trying to fit the whole package into the boot of his sedan, but the door did not shut properly. Despite this he still drove off.

A crowbar-wielding thief steals a scooter from Storm Rides shop in Mt Albert, Auckland despite fog cannons being activated. Photo / Supplied

Cranwell’s shop has been targeted by ram raiders previously and bollards had not deterred many of the offenders.

“We installed them but even then they found a way around and raided the store.

“We have had to re-enforce the door so it is hard to break into.”

As a small business owner having to pay thousands of dollars on heightened security cameras and other measures had been tough, he said.

“It doesn’t feel like this issue is being taken seriously by the government.”

Yesterday, police said they had arrested a 30-year-old man in relation to the burglary.

He is facing theft and firearm-related charges.

If raids were not enough, Cranwell said the business’ e-commerce side was being attacked by frauds.

“People use stolen credit cards online to make purchases. It is a massive problem. About 20 per cent of all sales could be fraudulent. And you can’t call the police about it because it is rarely followed up.

“We have had to invest a lot of money to get protective features to prevent such incidents.

“Some people would steal cards, make purchases, rent an Airbnb get stuff delivered there and then just disappear. We get calls from real card owners that they never made that purchase.”

Cranwell said the view of his job as a retailer had also shifted.

“It has poisoned the whole experience of purchasing and selling.

“It makes you more suspicious, makes your job less enjoyable, and puts you in a situation where you can’t trust customers.

“When people buy stuff then you think are they a thief? It puts you in a bad head space.”

Akula Sharma is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2022. She has previously worked at the Gisborne Herald.