The Hutchinson Superette in New Lynn is under police guard after ramraiders drove a car into the store overnight. Image / Google Maps
Members of the public held on to a young teenager allegedly involved in a ram raid on a west Auckland dairy until police arrived.
An investigation is under way into the possibility two incidents where vehicles were driven into dairies in neighbouring suburbs overnight are connected.
A car remains inside a New Lynn dairy after it was targeted by ram raiders around 12.46am.
The front of the Hutchinson Ave dairy is wrecked after a vehicle was used to smash through a metal roller door.
Waitematā Police detective senior Sergeant Mike Frost said the incident occurred around 12:46am on Hutchinson Rd when a stolen vehicle was reversed at speed into the dairy.
He said a group of young offenders attempted to take off with money and cigarettes.
"One of the alleged offenders, aged 13, was apprehended by members of the public and held until police arrived," he said.
The teen had been charged with burglary and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and was due to appear in Youth Court.
Frost said the stolen property was recovered and the vehicle remained at the scene. An examination of the car would take place today.
Inquiries were ongoing to identify and locate others involved, he said.
Police were also looking at the possibility that the incident was linked to another ram raid just after midnight in Mt Roskill where a vehicle was driven into a convenience store on White Swan Rd.
A person who drove past the Hutchinson Rd scene soon after the raid said a car was now facing outwards, having reversed into the shopfront.
"A black car had reversed into a roller door and smashed into the front of the shop, and the roller door has come down blocking the view of anything else," said the local who did not want to be named
The dairy was now cordoned off with police keeping guard.
Locals say it's the fourth time the dairy has been hit by thieves with new owners taking over the neighbourhood store just a few months ago.
The 19-year-old disappeared without her wallet or mobile phone.