Six retail stores targeted by thieves overnight. Video / NZ Herald
At least six retail stores around Auckland have been targeted overnight - with thieves making off with alcohol, cigarettes and vape products.
The overnight crime wave was all smash-and-grab style burglaries involving shops in South Auckland, North Shore and central Auckland.
The latest crimes come as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said today that more than 30 people had been caught and 200 charges laid after the establishment of the police retail unit targeting ram raids and smash and grabs.
She described the crimes as "atrocious".
"They are atrocious, they are totally brazen and, of course, you will have seen the police have a dual focus in supporting retailers with additional funding we have put aside to ensure preventative measures but also making sure those who are taking part of these activities are held to account," she told AM.
Many of the crimes have involved teenagers but Ardern said there were still consequences for young offenders.
"It is fair to say though that if someone is particularly young … efforts are often made to use consequences and punishment that don't for instance necessarily lead to that individual being in facilities that result in their continuing [to offend] … that is not to say that there are no consequences."
Ardern said those consequences depended on the individual and the crime committed.
"If someone is particularly young, particularly young, efforts are often made to use consequences and punishment that doesn't necessarily lead to that individual being in facilities that for instance result in their continuing and often in cases, we do know that this is the case, if a young person enters into our formalised criminal justice system that essentially means that's the trajectory that they are on," Ardern told AM.
"The prevention also needs to be around what do we need to do to stop young people, for whatever reason, from entering into this activity."
Police were called to an incident at the Liquorland store on Great South Rd, Takanini, shortly after midnight.
A witness said four black drawers had been abandoned outside the front of the shop. It is understood they are used to store cigarettes - and had been emptied.
Police officers could be seen working inside and a hammer left behind was taken away, he said.
Liquorland Takanini was targeted by thieves overnight. Photo / Hayden Woodward
Officers were then called to another incident at a stationery shop on Dawson Rd in Clover Park.
The incident happened just before 1am and police tape was put up soon. However, it is not known what was taken, if anything.
The Bottle-O on Remuera Rd was then targeted at about 3.30am.
Glass could be seen smashed outside the shop. It is not known whether those involved in the incident managed to get away with anything.
By about 3.45am, authorities were alerted to yet another smash-and-grab at the Vape2Go shop on Birkenhead Ave in North Shore.
