Thieves hit Hamilton Michael Hill
A jewellery store in a Hamilton mall has been smashed-up and broken into.
The glass doors at the front of Michael Hill at Centre Place in central Hamilton were shattered on Tuesday morning, Anzac Day.
Police were investigating the burglary, that happened shortly before 9.30am, a spokesperson said.
‘‘Police are following lines of inquiry to identify and locate the offenders.’’
This comes as police apprehended five youths following the robbery of a jewellery store in Taupō on Monday.
Police were first alerted to a ramraid-style burglary in Putāruru, they said in a statement.
After this, the four alleged offenders travelled to Taupō and smashed displays and threatened store occupants at a jewellery store on Horomatangi St about 11.20am.
A fog cannon was deployed, and the offenders left the scene in a vehicle.
Officers found the vehicle in Atiamuri, where the alleged offenders damaged a police vehicle as they fled the scene.
The vehicle was spiked on State Highway 30, near Rotorua, and five people were taken into custody. They all face charges in the Youth Court.
Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson said the arrests were made within 24 hours of the incident happening.
‘‘I’m really proud of how hard our staff are working and their level of expertise when it comes to taking these offenders off the streets.
‘‘These results should reassure the community and business owners that we have absolutely no tolerance for this type of offending.’’
On Friday last week, hammer and knife-armed thieves hit a jewellery store in the Chartwell Shopping Centre in Hamilton.
A police spokesperson said they were called about 3pm after a group of offenders armed with weapons entered a store.
A teen would-be robber was pinned to the ground by quickthinking mall staff, and when the dust settled thousands of dollars of diamonds were strewn across the floor at the feet of a startled crowd of onlookers.
Police took one person into custody and were trying to find the rest of the offenders.