Christchurch Businesses Targeted in Coordinated Ramraid Spree

A string of ramraids hit Christchurch early Sunday morning, leaving businesses across several neighborhoods reeling. Within a tight 90-minute window, thieves struck at least nine stores, smashing their way in with stolen cars.

Carl’s Jr in the Bush Inn Centre was targeted by ramraiders in the early hours of Sunday morning.

From about 4am, young offenders rampaged through areas like Halswell, Burwood, Waltham, Woolston, Ilam, Addington, and Riccarton. Police are investigating the spree, which saw vehicles like the Toyota Aqua used to ram into shops. Among the businesses affected were Carl’s Jr. and Metro Mart at Bush Inn Centre, where a stolen car smashed into their windows.

Staff at Metro Mart were relieved that no cash or nicotine products were left behind, as the store had a policy of removing them overnight. One employee, who asked to remain anonymous, expressed hope that the criminals would soon be caught.

At Carl’s Jr., the thieves tried but failed to grab any money from the till, as the cash had been secured earlier. In the same area, Jayesh Semwal from the Moroccan restaurant Dubba Dubba revealed that his business had been raided the night before, with thieves attempting to steal the cash register and his car. Instead, they left with only three brownies.

The thieves' activities also included a failed attempt to steal cigarettes and cash at BP Waimairi Rd. After failing to access the locked cigarette shelf or the till, the criminals made off with a few packets of Pringles.

In Addington, the fog cannons at a convenience store thwarted another theft attempt. The store’s owner said the group behind the raid appeared to be a bunch of young kids. At Vape World, owner Xin Tan reported that while her store wasn’t affected this time, it had been targeted four times in the past year. Despite installing security bars, she expressed growing concern over the ongoing nature of these attacks.

"The cycle continues,” she said. “People get caught, but they’re back on the streets in no time. There’s nothing the police can do."

Police are continuing their investigation, trying to identify the stolen vehicles and those involved in these brazen raids, while also noting the dangerous driving behavior of the offenders who used the stolen cars to flee the scenes, knowing that police would avoid pursuing them for safety reasons.