Two 19-year-olds charged with pulling motorist out of car, then ram-raiding Clive Four Square

The Clive Four Square frontage was badly damaged after a stolen vehicle was used in a ram-raid a week ago. Photo / Paul Taylor

Two 19-year-old men charged with the night-time ram-raid of a dairy allegedly dragged a motorist out of his car and drove off in it shortly before the raid.

The two have been charged jointly with aggravated robbery, burglary and willful damage.

One man appeared before a registrar in the Hastings District Court on Friday morning and was remanded without plea on bail to find a lawyer and appear again on February 26.

The other failed to appear and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The aggravated robbery charge related to an incident at Te Mata Peak, a Havelock North park and beauty spot where people go to walk and to look at the views.

Police said earlier that a motorist had been approached by another man, who allegedly threatened him with a tyre iron before taking his cellphone and keys.

The attacker allegedly pulled the motorist out of the car and drove off in it. The motorist was not injured.

Charge sheets laid in the Hastings court say both the 19-year-olds were involved in the incident at Te Mata Peak and identified the vehicle taken as a Daihatsu Sirion.

Police said that a short time after the Te Mata Peak incident, a vehicle was reversed into the front of a commercial premises in Clive, 20km away, causing significant damage.

This related to the ram-raid of the Clive Four Square store, which was reported to police at 2.55am on Friday, February 2.

The charge sheets allege the two 19-year-olds caused damage to the front doors of the Clive Four Square with intent to obtain cigarette products.

Police said the alleged offenders had been unable to access the cigarette cabinets in the shop.

All the charges, including the taking of the Daihatsu, are dated February 2.

The car was found abandoned the next day.

Ric Stevens spent many years working for the former New Zealand Press Association news agency, including as a political reporter at Parliament, before holding senior positions at various daily newspapers. He joined NZME’s Open Justice team in 2022 and is based in Hawke’s Bay. His writing in the crime and justice sphere is informed by four years of front-line experience as a probation officer.