Watch: Christchurch car dealers hit by thieves - 18 vehicles taken in a fortnight

A car dealer claims Christchurch businesses are being hit by car thieves.

Christopher Schwartz, the business manager of NZC Canterbury branch, said two cars valued at a total of $30,000 were stolen at the end of August.

"They're stealing cars, thieving number-plates off other legitimate vehicles and putting them on their stolen cars so they're not seen as stolen in the eyes of the public when up the road."

Schwartz said they were contacted by police at 3am last week and told their yard had been broken into.

He said the burglars had snuck in the rear of the fence line, cut a hole in the fence and used a stolen Toyota wish to tow out the second vehicle, a Mazda NPS.

"I believe these cars have probably be taken to a 'chop shop', where they're going to be chopped up and distributed out toward parts and that sort of stuff," Schwartz said.

But it doesn't stop there. Schwartz has heard of up to 18 vehicles stolen from local business, within the past fortnight.

The burglars had snuck in the rear of the fence line, cut a hole in the fence and used a stolen Toyota wish to tow out the second vehicle, a Mazda NPS.

He believes an organised gang of car thieves are operating in Christchurch.

"We've been through our video footage ... they were wearing gloves, these guys knew exactly what they were doing."

Schwartz said a car yard just up the road was also targeted at the same time as their burglary.

The burglaries were concerning in such a tight knit motoring community, Schwartz said.

"It affects our profits, it affects everything across the board and staff morale as well."

Wego Cars sales and operation manager Eldho Varghese said he had a car stolen just last week.

Footage showed the burglar knew what they were doing, getting in and out of the property in 5 minutes.

Varghese said he has been in New Zealand four years and up until now, his experience of the country had been great.

He said he called police immediately after the incident, but they never got back to him.

"I'm really upset with the response from police."

Both Varghese and Schwartz want to see the offenders apprehended and put behind bars.

Police have been approached for comment in regards to any investigative operation.