Ram raid and botched burglary perplexes Katikati bar co-owner

Approximately 100 bottles were smashed during the ram raid of The Boohai Thirsty Liquor and Sports Bar.

Jot Singh is baffled about the mindset of thieves after his Katikati sports bar was hit by ram raiders.

The Boohai Thirsty Liquor and Sports Bar co-owner is a numbers man and just can’t see the point.

‘’I predict they would have spent hours planning and carrying out these robberies around town and if they did an honest day’s work they might have made about a thousand dollars between them,’’ he says.

Jot is less upset, more perplexed on how young people think this is a good way to make money.

‘’I think there’s better ways to make money these days than to steal cars and ram them into shops... only to get away with an empty till.

‘’No one keeps money in tills overnight anymore.’’

The liquor store was ram raided on November 30 around 4.30am. Before the ram raid and botched burglary, the culprits spent much time breaking into and trying to steal cars along Park Rd in Katikati and on multiple properties.

The ram hit the entrance to the liquor store and knocked approximately 100 bottles off their perch which smashed onto the floor — resulting in a huge cleanup required.

The damaged entrance of the liquor store.

The rammed vehicle was left behind and the offenders took off their empty till and a few bottles of wine and it is believed they headed north of Katikati in another vehicle.

This is the first attack of its kind for the sports bar. They’ve had break-ins before but not in the last three years.

‘’It is what it is,’’ he says. The worst thing is the cleanup, he says. Luckily, they are insured. Jot predicts the damage may be between $20,000-$30,000.

‘’It’s so stupid. They destroyed four cars, they’ve distressed four families, they’ve caused us weeks of cleanup and got away with pretty much nothing.’’

The bar is alarmed and has CCTV. Jot wants to warn other retailers in the area, just in case the ram raiders return.