Napier shop EB Games ram-raided as part of weekend burglary spree

EB Games in Emerson St, Napier, is back in business after a Sunday-morning ram-raid. Photo / Doug Laing

A 17-year-old has been arrested but police still seek others after three New Year’s holiday retail burglaries in the Napier and Hastings central business districts.

The burglaries, which police believe are linked, included a ram-raid in which a car was driven across a footpath and into the front entrance of EB Games in the Dalton St-to-Clive Square block of Emerson St, Napier, about 4am on Sunday.

King of Swords, in the same block, was also burgled, as was a vape store in Heretaunga St East, Hastings, a site until recently also occupied by EB Games.

The shops were all back in business as soon as the premises were able to be secured, with the EB Games Napier entrance boarded awaiting more permanent repairs but enabling a steady stream of holiday-season customers.

Staff said a small amount of stock was stolen, and wondered if similar games items had been the target of the Hastings burglary, without thieves knowing the business no longer occupied the site.

There have been periodic ram-raids in the Napier CBD despite the obstacles of trees, bollards and other fixtures in the pedestrian precinct which has single-lane, one-way drive-through and some street parking.

One occasion was on February 9 last year, also about 4am, and in May 2019 an 18-year-old was arrested after a series of at least five early-morning burglaries within barely 24 hours in the Napier CBD, one at King of Swords as well as ram-raids involving a stolen car.

The youth arrested after Sunday’s incidents is due to appear in Napier District Court on Thursday, facing at least two charges of burglary, while Senior Sergeant Stu Fleming, of the Eastern Police District command centre, said others were being sought.

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