The white van busts through the front of the Mt Albert Stihl Shop in the early morning ram raid. Photo / Supplied
Footage has emerged of a van being manoeuvred in front of an Auckland power tool shop before it smashes into its glass entrance in a pre-dawn ram raid.
Security cameras track the break-in that takes just a matter of minutes, the large front doors of the Mt Albert Stihl Shop shunted off their fixtures.
The van, which appears to have a back window smashed out, is seen reversing on the New North Rd shop's forecourt and footpath to line up with the glass entrance.
Once busted through the double front doors, the vehicle continues to position itself in the heart of the shop just in front of the counter.
The driver, a man with his face obscured by a mask and wearing dark clothing and cap, is shown getting out and retrieving a power tool. After throwing it through van's missing rear window he rushes off to get more equipment from the shop floor.
The store's owner has posted photos and a 55-second video on Facebook in the hope that someone will recognise the driver who appears to be the only person involved in the heist.
"Unfortunately we have been hit with another ram raid this around 5.30 am this morning," he posted.
He appealed for anyone who was driving past or recognised the van driver to get in touch with the shop or call police.
Owner Leon Law said the raid was a real blow for his small business, coming after two difficult trading years.
"He's taking food off our plates for his own gain," he said.
"We're just ordinary people already up to our eyeballs in debt trying to run a small business."
Law said security footage showed an initial failed attempt to smash the showroom window before the raider got in his van and reversed into the showroom, taking just one minute to loot around $15,000 worth of stock.
"We arrived to a devastating scene with debris everywhere and displays all turned over and upside down."
He estimated the damage to the store would be around $40,000 to repair.
"He was barely one minute inside the building to driving back out again."
He said it was the second time in two years the shop had been targeted by ram raiders.
Law said the business had continued to trade despite the raid and had been buoyed by the level of support that had been shown to him by the local community.
He also understood police had located the van.
Police today said inquiries into the raid were still ongoing.
The Wednesday raid comes as Auckland experiences a city-wide rash of ram raid crime over recent months.
This week alone an East Auckland service station has been targeted, with BP Connect in Northpark extensively damaged when a stolen white Toyota Aqua was used to bust into the premises for cigarettes.
A day earlier Queen St's iconic Smith & Caughey's was left with shattered windows and missing items after thieves targeted the store.
At the time police said a number of offenders entered the store and took a range of items before leaving the scene in three vehicles.
Two of those vehicles had since been found abandoned.
Around the same time that evening, police also responded to a ram-raid-style burglary at the My Choice Mini Mart on Sabulite Rd in Kelston, West Auckland.
It's understood a NZDF aircraft and multiple helicopters are involved.