South Dunedin dairy raid 'expected and unexpected'

The owner of a burgled South Dunedin dairy says it was only a matter of time before his store was targeted.

A pair of masked raiders were caught on camera burgling the Balmoral Dairy in Hillside Rd during the early hours of yesterday morning.

Wearing black hoods and masks, the pair could be seen moving quickly around the dairy and attempting to open the cash register.

Balmoral Dairy owner Chris Au Yeung said one of the windows to his shop had been smashed with a brick.

He believed the burglary was unplanned.

An intruder wearing a blue mask was one of two burglars caught on camera breaking into the...
An intruder wearing a blue mask was one of two burglars caught on camera breaking into the Balmoral Dairy, in South Dunedin, in the early hours of the morning yesterday. Photo: supplied
The intruders stole a tray of energy drinks, some lighters, cigarette paper, chewing gum, lollies and spare change.

All up, he estimated they had taken less than $100 worth of products.

But the mess they had left behind was "crazy" and "unnecessary", he said.

In the eight years he had operated the dairy, Mr Au Yeung said he had never been burgled to this extent before.

The break-in was both "expected and unexpected".

Glass from a broken window is strewn across the floor. Photo: Gregor Richardson
Glass from a broken window is strewn across the floor. Photo: Gregor Richardson
"I've been thinking, ‘Oh, when is it going to be my turn?"’

Mr Au Yeung said he believed the burglars were high school students but not from the neighbourhood and put it down to the school holidays.

He recalled instances in the past of school-aged children burgling other dairies.

"They're all school kids and the attitude that they show is, like, don't care."

It was "annoying" being the owner of a dairy these days and instances of shoplifting had become "way worse" since the Covid-19 pandemic, he said.

Police attend the scene of the burglary. Photo: Gregor Richardson
Police attend the scene of the burglary. Photo: Gregor Richardson
Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said police were alerted to a broken window at the dairy about 2.30am yesterday.

"The cash register and cigarette locker have been tampered with, but didn’t appear to be opened at the time."

Further investigations uncovered the window was broken during a burglary.

Forensics staff attended the scene and investigations were ongoing, Snr Sgt Bond said.

tim.scott@odt.co.nz

 

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