Footage has emerged of a fog cannon deterring would-be thieves in an early morning Christchurch ram-raid.
Store owner Andrew Kelso has been left with a big clean job up after a ram-raid at his Colombo St business this morning.
CCTV footage shows a car backing into the front of the shop, smashing the glass before the fog cannons goes off.
"We've got roller grills but they sort of came away a little bit as well then you see one guy get out of the car and another person come from somewhere else then they sort of look in the store then start to take a hammer to the window next to where the car was, looked like the car may have got stuck," Kelso told 1News.
Six months ago he installed the cannon in response to multiple ram-raids he'd seen happening across the North Island.
"The fog cannon probably did its job in that regard to deter them coming further," Kelso said.
Police said they were called to the scene at 4.30am after reports a vehicle was used to enter the store.
"The offenders did not gain entry, however then broke into to a second store and took items, before leaving the scene in a second vehicle," police said in a statement.
Nothing was taken from Westende Jewellers.
"They get away with nothing and then there's tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage externally to the store," Kelso said.
Police said they were then called to Radcliffe Rd in Belfast just before 5am after a car was used to enter a store and items were taken.
The offenders fled the scene in a second vehicle.
Superintendent Lane Todd told 1News there has been an increase in ram-raid style burglaries in the city particularly over the last two weeks.
"What I would say is there's a small cohort unfortunately that are recidivist offenders. So last week, for example, we had a group as young as 12 through to 14 they're being carried on with various charges... we certainly have seen an increase and it is a concern for us as well as the wider community," Todd said.
He said they are finding they do seem to get a spate and then it reduces.
"We still have to do a lot of work with our partner agencies, which we still are doing. What we are encouraging is particularly retailers is to really take advantage of the opportunities the Government's funding, whether that's bollards or other activities."
Police are continuing to investigate this morning's incidents.
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