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Christchurch vape shop ram raids continue

Author
Nathan Morton, NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Fri, 5 May 2023, 11:00AM
The owner showed photos of a ute that had been reversed into the front of the shop. Photo / George Heard
The owner showed photos of a ute that had been reversed into the front of the shop. Photo / George Heard

Christchurch vape shop ram raids continue

Author
Nathan Morton, NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Fri, 5 May 2023, 11:00AM

The vape stores have continued to be targeted in the South Island’s metro city with yet another ram raided on Friday morning.

Alex Vape Specialists in Northlands had its front entrance smashed in by a vehicle at 5am, police responded shortly afterwards after reports of a burglary.

An all-glass window front has been cracked open with glass strewn across the ground and stock inside the store littered.

Police said the vehicle used to gain entry was recovered and inquiries into the crime are ongoing.

The shop front has been cracked open with glass strewn across the ground. Photo / George Heard

The shop front has been cracked open with glass strewn across the ground. Photo / George Heard

The store’s owner showed the Herald photos of a ute that was used in the ramraid, reversed into the store to breach its entrance.

They wouldn’t comment further on the incident.

A worker from a neighbouring business, Couplands Bakery, said she was made aware of the raid after a customer notified her.

She mentioned the shop’s owner was now sweeping up glass.

Monday last week saw an offending spree that saw vape products stolen from numerous stores in Hillsborough and Woolston.

VAPO was ram raided three days ago, as three other stores were broken into during one spate of burglaries and resulted in four youths being taken into custody.

In months gone by, other vape stores have also been targeted with ram raids - a vape store in Shirley saw one of the largest-scale ram raids caught on CCTV.

At the end of last year, a business owner was left devastated after his vape business was broken into only a month after opening.

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