Workers replacing the glass in front of the Gucci store in Queen St. Photo / Craig Kapitan
In the past four weeks a spate of brazen ram raids have left some of Auckland's most expensive stores, and dairies and malls in debris.
Ram raids are an almost daily occurrence in Auckland with police revealing the majority of offenders, 88 per cent, are under the age of 20 - with most as young as 17.
It is a worrying trend for retailers as the young burglars are becoming more brazen with their targets and their tactics, and the costs to protect businesses and insurances keep skyrocketing.
Two west Auckland businesses were the latest businesses to be targeted in the string of attacks.
On Tuesday night, a group of eight used four vehicles in an attempt to ram-raid GAS Kaurilands petrol station in Titirangi, but the bollards stopped the burglars in their tracks.
Earlier, it is understood that they had tried to get into the Kaurilands Superette, neighbour of the service station.
The group were able to get away before police arrived.
Earlier, on Tuesday morning, three vehicles and dozens of offenders ransacked their way through east Auckland's Ormiston Mall, smashing into Postie and Noel Leeming.
The terrifying incident was caught on CCTV footage.
"The offenders' behaviour and manner of driving has endangered security and cleaning staff working in the retail complex at the time," said police.
Multiple offenders entered three stores and stole a number of electronic devices and clothes, they said.
It was the fourth time that mall had been targeted in 12 months.
Police are yet to make any arrests.
Martina Four Square owner Jaswinder Singh is feeling "frustrated" and "sick" after his store in Thames was hit on Sunday for the fourth time since December.
The offenders tried to steal cigarettes, but damaged counters blocked their way to the cabinet.
They however caused thousands of dollars in damage to the store.
To replace the counter alone would cost around $16,000, said Singh.
On the same day, a Four Square in Papamoa was hit by ram raiders at 4.30am.
It is believed a number of items were taken.
A resident who saw the damage at 6am said there were chocolate bars scattered across the footpath.
Earlier this month, two luxury boutiques in downtown Auckland were targeted.
Offenders caused extensive damage after using a vehicle to smash through the fronts of Louis Vuitton and Gucci on April 10.
Photos taken at the scene show the front windows at both stores smashed and glass and debris littered across the footpath.
It was the second time the Gucci store had been hit in the past fortnight.
Security guards have now been seen to be stationed outside the shops overnight.
That same night the entrance to Minami Motors on Panmure Highway in Mount Wellington was destroyed in a ram raid. The vehicle used in the raid was left at the scene as the offenders fled.
Nine offenders, including an 11-year-old driver, were caught by police following a burglary at a Sandringham superette in the evening on April 7.
Residents had quickly called police just after 1am and reported three vehicles travelling in a suspicious manner west towards Sandringham.
Police arrived to find that nine youths had ransacked the store with a vehicle.
The youths escaped in a Toyota Aqua, with a number of stolen goods, travelling at dangerous speeds along Sandringham Rd before abandoning it for a second stolen vehicle and taking to the motorway.
The police helicopter tracked the vehicle and they were eventually stopped using road spikes in Clevedon. All nine offenders were located a short distance away.
Two offenders are due to appear in Youth Court. The other seven offenders will be referred to Youth Aid.
Up to $10,000 worth of cigarettes and cash were stolen in a ram raid on an Auckland dairy in Ellerslie on April 6.
The Kornaway Dairy in Ellerslie was rammed with a stolen car and the front window smashed, and parts of the wall were torn down.
Police arrested one youth in relation to three ram raids in Flat Bush, Drury and Paerata on March 31.
"Inquiries are ongoing and police are not ruling out further charges being laid."
As the year draws to a close, Waikato Herald is taking stock of 2024.