[kellyhound]

03-28-2007
Willis St store Rip Curl just around the corner from Wellington police station was plundered about 1.30am yesterday after a white Mitsubishi van was reversed into the store, smashing through the front windows.

Store security camera footage shows five young men scurrying into the store, grabbing armfuls of clothing and coming back for more. They were in and out in under 30 seconds.

Police, just around the corner in the central police station in Victoria St, were alerted after the store security alarm went off.

Store manager Russell Clayton said the thieves took mostly men's clothing worth more than $10,000.

"Even though it's not my stuff, it feels like an invasion of privacy really."

He said only the front alarm was set off in the raid, which gives a 35-second grace before going off, to allow staff to get in and turn it off.

He said Rip Curl had stores in Auckland and Christchurch, but this was the first smash-and-grab they had experienced.

The store was boarded up and a security guard would mind the store till the windows could be properly replaced.

The company planned to install grilles for extra security.

Constable Patrick Greaney, of the burglary squad, said ram-raids were uncommon in Wellington, but any time a building was broken into was a concern.

He said police were examining security footage in an attempt to identify the burglars.

[Worrymon]

Originally Posted by From the article

Constable Patrick Greaney, of the burglary squad, said ram-raids were uncommon in Wellington

But common enough that they have a term for it.


And the kids will get caught. There were two who were stupid enough to not cover their faces, they'll get caught and then cave and snitch on their friends. And then they'll see how tough and cool they are when they are in prison with violent offenders. (reminds me of "'Littering', and the aalllll moved away from me on the group W bench, and I said 'and creating a public nuisance' and they all moved back close to me")

[Number5ive]