Harjinder Kaur and her husband Avtar Malhi were asleep in the room behind their store when it was ram raided early on Sunday morning. Photo / Maryana Garcia
"We thought the house was coming down."
Panic ran through the minds of Hamurana Store owners Harjinder Kaur and Avtar Malhi when they were jolted awake at about 2.30am on Sunday by a "big boom".
"[It was] like a big blast," Kaur told the Rotorua Daily Post.
The couple livesin the room behind their business on Hamurana Rd. Their three daughters aged 13, 12, and 8 sleep upstairs.
At first, Kaur and Malhi thought the house was in danger of collapsing.
Kaur and Malhi have owned and operated Hamurana Store for nearly three years. They never had problems with crime before.
"Hamurana is a very safe place," Kaur said.
"My family are in India, my husband's family are in America. So in New Zealand, Hamurana [community] is my family."
As she spoke, neighbours could be seen trying to fix the damage left behind.
Kaur said the support had been pouring in.
"They brought me flowers, food, hugs," Kaur said.
"This is my beautiful Hamurana community."
One Hamurana resident, who would not be named, described Kaur and Malhi's store as a safe and friendly place.
"It's a necessity. Everyone comes here. This is the bus stop area. So the kids all meet here for the bus to school."
Kaur said she and her husband were speaking with their insurance provider about fixing the damage.
Hamurana Store will remain closed for two to three days while the mess from the ram raid is cleaned up and repairs are made.
A police spokesperson said officers were notified of the burglary on Hamurana Rd at 2.33am. They confirmed the vehicle used to gain entry to the premises was left at the scene and nothing was reported as stolen.
Inquiries were ongoing to determine the circumstances of the incident. Police ask that anyone with information contacts 105 and quotes file number 210627/0683.