The thieves smashed cabinets and stole jewellery in broad daylight as stunned onlookers watched. Photo / Supplied
The thieves smashed cabinets and stole jewellery in broad daylight as stunned onlookers watched. Photo / Supplied
Hamilton's mayor and a retail leader are warning attacks on shopping stores are becoming more brazen after two robberies in the city yesterday.
Armed robbers carried out a daylight smash-and-grab robbery at a busy Hamilton mall and a security guard was injured in a separate early morning raid on a shopping centre.
The masked thieves involved in the mall incident were seen smashing glass cabinets at Michael Hill Jewellers at The Base, Te Rapa Hamilton around 11.30am - leaving shoppers horrified and workers sobbing.
Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate told Newstalk ZB she was very angry and frustrated that these crimes were "ramping up" and getting more brazen.
"I have been working closely with the police and also with the minister to find out how we can play a part in reducing this crime in our city."
Southgate told the show she has had a conversation with Police Minister Chris Hipkins about how to stop this "youth crime".
"They are targeting stores where the goods can be sold on, my understanding from talking with the police that this [type of issue] is in part organised gang activity and these groups are getting more and more organised."
Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate. Photo / Supplied
Over the past year she said they had put a lot of bollards in, however, this would not have stopped the crime at The Base because the offenders came on foot.
"These two over the weekend, broad daylight in front of the public they just walked on into that store and intimidated everyone, carried out their smash and grab and jogged out. It's absolutely alarming how brazen it's getting."
No arrests have been made in relation to the incidents yet, but a police spokesperson said the public may notice an increased police presence today as staff conduct reassurance patrols through the city.
Retail NZ chief executive Greg Harford told NZME it was "absolutely horrific" and he was worried about staff and customers who witnessed the incident.
"Nobody should be having this sort of thing happen to them when they go to work, and nobody should be experiencing this when they go shopping.
"The worry is someone could get killed if these situations escalated."
He said there was a lot of concern out there from retailers over who could be targeted next and staff safety.
"I think we're very much in the middle of a tidal wave of crime sweeping the retail sector, I mean we've always seen isolated incidents in retail but what's concerning these issues are becoming more frequent, they're becoming more violent and they're becoming more brazen.
"This is not a kid stealing a chocolate bar from a shop after school, this is organised gangs and criminals who are out there to get what they can."
Harford told NZME they need to see the perpetrators in this situation and others brought to justice and retailers in shopping malls might have to look at their security.
Retail NZ chief executive Greg Harford in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchelll
Yesterday Acting Inspector Michael Henwood asked witnesses and people with video footage of the incident to come forward.
