Armed men trying to break in and rob Mobil on East Tamaki Dr in South Auckland got more than they bargained for last month when the service station attendant activated a fog cannon. The anti-crime device fills a room with thick fog leaving zero visibility for anyone inside. The device is being used by an increasing number of retailers to thwart robberies.
They smash the service station's glass doors using a hammer and axe handle before kicking their way through. Armed with a large bag, their faces covered and hands gloved, it's clear what they have come to do.
But before they can steal a thing, the station attendant activates a secret weapon. A thick white mist fills the inside of the store, billowing quickly towards the would-be thieves as they try to climb through the shattered door.
The pair are puzzled, but they don't stick around to find out what is going on.
They have just been introduced to a fog cannon, the latest crime prevention method being implemented by service stations nationwide.
The men broke into the Mobil service station on East Tamaki Rd at 3.10am on December 23. It is the third time since July the station has been hit in a similar smash and grab.
Mobil petrol station CCTV cameras show the offenders smashing their way into the store before the fog is released. Photo / Supplied
The first two times cash and cigarettes were pinched, but this time the fog cannon cut the thieves off at the pass.
A number of other service stations have also been broken into and police are investigating a link between them.
Between three and five offenders with their faces either covered or hidden behind hoods, charge at the doors using weapons to smash the glass and force entry.
Detective Senior Sergeant Kevin Tiernan suspected the same group was behind the smash and grabs.
"It is probably a core group of four or five and then other people turn up," he said.
"I suspect they are all somehow linked or known to each other."
Mr Tiernan said the offenders all appear to be males under 25. Police have released CCTV images of some of the people involved in a bid to identify and arrest them.
"In one robbery an attendant was attacked and ended up with a cut to the head," he said.
"In the most recent one the attendant was grabbed around the throat. Generally they have managed to run off and lock themselves in an office."
Mr Tiernan said at Mobil last week the attendant activated the fog cannon soon after the two robbers started to smash their way in.
"The cannon fills the store up with fog, there is zero visibility," he said.
"One of the offenders got through the smashed door, but once he was in realised it was a hopeless case and they left."
One of the offenders got through the smashed door, but once he was in realised it was a hopeless case and they left.
Mr Tiernan said fog cannons were "relatively new" to police but were a great crime prevention mechanism.
"It prevents offenders from getting anything," he said.
"This is only the second one I have come across. Recently there was a service station break-in but it was unattended, closed for the night. When they broke in the cannon was obviously set with the alarm and they triggered it. It filled the store up with smoke and they left."
Mr Tiernan was confident police would find those responsible for the spate of robberies. "Some of them are using stolen cars and when we recover those we examine them, looking for forensic evidence," he explained.
Protect Global New Zealand trade distributor and consultant Andre Weibel, who sells fog cannons, said many retailers had them.
They cost up to $5000 to install but once they were in, could save a lot more than that by preventing theft.
Mr Weibel said recently more petrol stations and dairies had been installing fog cannons.
