Rotorua ram raid: Footage shows chaotic 90 seconds at Ngongotahā store

Jul 17, 2023

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Offenders rush into Ngongotaha Books, Lotto & Post Shop after ramming the window to gain entry.

Footage taken during and after a Rotorua ram raid shows the “massive mess” five offenders made as they ransacked a small store in under 90 seconds — reportedly escaping with only some gum, chocolate and an empty till.

Police were called to Ngongotahā Books, Lotto & Post Shop on Ngongotahā Rd around 1.11am on Wednesday after a vehicle was used to enter the building. Two vehicles used in the crime had been found but no arrests had been made.

Security camera footage seen by the Rotorua Daily Post shows a car smashing through the shop window, sending stands of goods flying and scattering shards of glass everywhere.

The car pulls back and five people wearing hoodies and face coverings rush into the store, jumping over the debris strewn across the floor.

They can be seen jumping over the counter and trying to get into a cigarette cabinet and what appears to be a till, kicking at something near or on the floor.

One of the offenders runs out with a metallic, rectangular box — knocking over another stand on the way — and another discards a similar box on the shop floor.

One trips over exiting through the now-glassless window, narrowly avoiding a faceplant by grabbing at the broken joinery for support. The last one out pulls over a display of gum on the counter.

In footage captured after the raid, the shop floor can be seen littered with glass, stock and fallen display stands.

Reneel Singh, the son of the store’s owner, previously told the Rotorua Daily Post there was “a massive mess” when he arrived at the shop after the raid, including “quite a lot of damage” to the entrance.

“They tried to get into the cigarettes, couldn’t do it, and then they started running around trying to find anything of value,” he said.

Singh said the offenders “just pushed around shelves and smashed things up” before taking off with an empty till, some chocolate bars and gum.

He said glass was everywhere, all the stock and stands had been thrown around, the cash registers had been pulled to the ground, and the Lotto cash draw was on the other side of the counter.

“Everything was in an absolute mess.”

He said the raid was “pretty disappointing” and “such a hassle for nothing”.

Police had been good and responded quickly, and customers had also shown support.

The owners did not want the incident to shut the store, so they cleaned up while police collected evidence.

A police spokesman said a full scene examination was completed early on Thursday morning.

Police found a stolen vehicle used in the incident outside the shop and seized it, while another vehicle was found elsewhere, police said.

Both vehicles were examined.

Cira Olivier is a social issues and breaking news reporter for NZME Bay of Plenty. She has been a journalist since 2019.

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