Auckland crime: Liquor store, dairy, seafood shop among thieves’ overnight hit list

Staff at various businesses around Auckland will be cleaning up the mess left behind in ram raid incidents and break-ins reported around the city overnight.

Police are investigating a number of ram raids and smash-and-grab-style burglaries carried out late last night and in the early hours of this morning.

Officers were called to the Harbour City Liquor Centre late last night after a vehicle was used to ram raid the shop.

A silver car could be seen at the shop shortly afterwards - its headlights still on. The back of the vehicle was damaged.

Several police officers could be seen assessing the damage - which saw the store’s front entrance completely damaged.

A vehicle outside a liquor store in Glenfield, North Shore. Photo / Hayden Woodward

A large “emergency glass” board had also been put up.

A police spokesperson said officers were called to the scene at 11.15pm last night.

“It appears offenders have used a stolen vehicle to gain entry to the store. A number of items were taken.

“Police investigations are continuing,” they said.

Lacoste in Auckland’s city centre was burgled hours later.

A police spokesperson said they were called to the shop on Jean Batten Pl, Auckland just after 2am.

“It appears offenders have used a vehicle to gain entry to the store.

“A number of items were taken before the offenders left in the same vehicle. Police investigations are continuing.”

There were also reports of windows being smashed at a supermarket on Dawson Rd in Flatbush, South Auckland.

The store - a SuperValue supermarket - had its glass front door windows smashed. Side windows were also smashed, leaving shattered pieces of glass on the concrete ground.

The SuperValue supermarket on Dawson Rd, Flatbush, had its glass front door windows smashed overnight. Photo / Hayden Woodward

Another incident was reported on Bruce McLaren Rd in Henderson, West Auckland, just after 4.30am.

Despite having roller garage doors, ram raiders smashed their way into Ash’s Superette early today.

“It appears offenders have used a vehicle to gain entry to the store. A number of items were taken before the offenders left in the same vehicle,” police said.

The car involved was found nearby shortly afterwards.

A spokeswoman said: “Police investigations are continuing.”

By 5.30am, police officers were at another incident in West Auckland; this time in the suburb of Glen Eden.

A white car still at the scene had been used to break into the popular Toby’s Seasfoods store.

Police put up emergency tape around the area and could be seen surveying the damage.

The vehicle involved - with damage and scratches on its left side - still had its headlights on and the boot was open.

The Toby's Seafoods store in Glen Eden has been badly damaged in an overnight ram raid. Photo / Hayden Woodward

A police spokesperson said they were called to the burglary around 5.30am.

“It appears offenders have used a stolen vehicle to gain entry to the store.

“An empty till was taken before the offenders left on foot, leaving the vehicle at the scene.

“Police investigations are continuing.”

A staff member at Toby’s Seafood Glen Eden told the Herald the raid happened at around 5am this morning.

”The whole front of the shop has been smashed.”

A Takanini resident told the Herald around 6.30am she saw the doors of the local Bed, Bath and Beyond store pushed in.

It appeared to have been ram raided, she said.

“There were a lot of police officers.”

The Bed, Bath and Beyond store in Takanini was ram raided this morning. Photo / Brittney Misipeka-Kerr