A break-in at the Tararu Store and Bait Station on August 17 was the second incident in six months, store owner Dilpreet Singh said.
Store cameras caught three men in hoodies and face masks breaking into the store in the early hours of the morning. The footage showed two men climbing over and attempting to open a locked gate beside the store at 1.15am, and then using a crowbar to attempt to lever up a rolling door at the store’s front entrance.
Three men returned to the store at 2.45am, this time levering up the rolling door and smashing through the glass door beyond. Internal camera footage then caught two of the men climbing over the shop counter and grabbing boxes, moments before the fog cannon was activated.
Dilpreet said the burglars only got away with a few boxes of vapes, as the fog cannon was set off when they attempted to open a safe in a corner.
However, the damage to the entrance was substantial.
“The damage they left is a lot,” he said.
“[And] it’s affecting us a lot. At night time, we can’t even sleep properly, we keep checking the cameras.”
Dilpreet said the store also suffered another incident on February 28, during opening hours.
“Our staff was here that morning, and as soon as he opened the shop, five minutes later, a group of five young boys came and started attacking him,” he said.
The attackers had machetes that time, Dilpreet said, and they threw cans at the staff member.
“He had a little injury around his eye, but he’s doing all right.”
Dilpreet said he was frustrated that the culprits seemed to be getting away with their crimes.
“These are local people – nothing is happening to them,” he said.
“From this lot, they caught one so far. And police say they know who the other two are, but they don’t have enough evidence.
“From last time, they only caught three. And two are still hiding somewhere in Auckland, that’s what they told us.
“[The] police is doing their job, but at the end of the day, the law is not doing anything. And they know … that nothing will happen to them.”
Police would not comment on the incidents to The Profile, citing privacy concerns.
