Ram raiders flee with tobacco and cigarettes

File photo / Martin Sykes

Cigarettes and tobacco worth about $10,000 were stolen during a ram raid on a Marton service station about 2am yesterday, police say.

Thieves drove a stolen light truck through a roller door at the rear of the Shell service station on Broadway in the town, about 45km northwest of Palmerston North, said Detective James Middleton of Marton police.

They took the cigarettes and tobacco before driving off and abandoning the vehicle about 400m away on Calico Line.

Police did not know whether they then fled on foot or in a second vehicle.

The truck, which had been stolen earlier from the Marton area, was described as a light open-backed vehicle, with a white cab and light grey body, Mr Middleton said.

Police wanted to hear from any witnesses to the ram raid, the abandoning of the vehicle on Calico Line or any suspicious activity in the area in the days leading up to the robbery.

There were at least two offenders and police were also keen for information about the cigarettes and tobacco being sold on.

- NZPA