NZ property crime November 2025 shows a noticeable and immediate escalation in both volume and intensity. This month’s update continues our verified reporting on burglaries, ram-raids, aggravated robberies, and related attacks affecting New Zealand businesses. Each issue tracks what offenders are actually doing on the ground, how they’re getting in, and what patterns are emerging across the country.
November marked a clear shift. The number of incidents rose sharply compared with October, and the nature of offending moved further toward speed, force, and group behaviour. Multiple businesses were hit in clusters — sometimes within the same shopping centre. Several offenders arrived armed with hammers, tyre irons, or vehicles; others worked in coordinated groups that overwhelmed lone staff. High-value targets such as tech stores, jewellery retailers, and liquor outlets were struck repeatedly, and smash-and-grab entries remained common across multiple regions.
To reduce the risk of repeated break-ins, many businesses are turning to physical security solutions such as security grilles and expanding doors for their shopfronts.
This month’s cases again underline how quickly offenders can breach an unprotected frontage. Almost every incident involved rapid entry through glass, weak frames, or unsecured doors. And in many examples, well-placed deterrents such as anti-ram measures, internal grilles, or after-hours barriers would have significantly slowed or prevented the loss.
At Xpanda NZ, our focus with the Crime Watch series remains practical: turn headline events into usable insight. Understanding how these attacks happened is the first step in reducing how often they succeed. Strong, visible physical security continues to be the simplest way to interrupt this cycle of repeat victimisation.
“Recommended Physical Security” refers to measures that would have reduced impact or entry time based on the incident details. These are retrospective observations, not prior Xpanda recommendations.
Boutique store in Napier was burgled overnight
NZ Herald | 16 Nov 2025
A Napier boutique suffered an overnight break-in, with offenders smashing their way inside and taking stock. The owner described the hit as another blow during an already challenging trading period.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/setbacks-we-can-do-without-napier-boutique-store-burgled-overnight/
Date: 16 Nov 2025
Location: Napier
Crime Category: Burglary
Security Measures Mentioned: None
Recommended Physical Security: Expanding Grilles
‘Scared for his life’: Dairy worker traumatised after violent robbery
Stuff | 16 Nov 2025
A Sandringham dairy worker was threatened with a machete in a terrifying daytime robbery, leaving him traumatised. The offender grabbed goods before fleeing, and police are investigating the violent attack.
Date: 16 Nov 2025
Location: Sandringham, Auckland
Crime Category: Robbery (weapon)
Security Measures Mentioned: None
Recommended Physical Security: Anti-Jump Screen
Break-in at Napier jewellery store Beija Flor
Hawke’s Bay Today | 14 Nov 2025
Beija Flor, a Napier jewellery store, was broken into during the night, with offenders forcing entry and fleeing with stolen items. Police are reviewing CCTV and asking locals for any relevant sightings.
Date: 14 Nov 2025
Location: Napier
Crime Category: Burglary
Security Measures Mentioned: CCTV
Recommended Physical Security: Expanding Grilles, Laminated Glass
Liquor store ram-raided, stolen car dumped in Lake Whakatipu
1News | 10 Nov 2025
A stolen vehicle was used to ram-raid a Queenstown liquor store before offenders grabbed alcohol and fled. The car was later dumped in Lake Whakatipu, adding further cost and clean-up complexity to the incident.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/11/10/queenstown-liquor-store-ram-raided-stolen-car-dumped-in-lake/
Date: 10 Nov 2025
Location: Queenstown
Crime Category: Ram Raid
Security Measures Mentioned: None
Recommended Physical Security: Bollards, Expanding Grilles
As the NZ property crime November 2025 dataset shows, targeted attacks on retailers continue to escalate despite police interventions.
A practical look at why modern shopfront security no longer harms appearance — and why outdated objections are now creating more cost, risk, and churn than the upgrades themselves.
We keep finding that landlords block tenant security upgrades because they believe it will devalue the building. That assumption made sense years ago, when security meant welded bars, dark mesh, and shutters that dragged a frontage down. But modern security has changed. Some systems are completely invisible behind the glass; others are architectural features that make a shopfront look cleaner, sharper, and more contemporary. Meanwhile, we’re dealing with desperate tenants trying to protect themselves, but their landlord or body corporate won’t allow them to. The idea that security harms appearance is no longer true — but blocking it definitely harms confidence, increases repairs, reduces value, and causes churn.
It’s remarkable how often we still hear the same objections we heard twenty years ago. And to be fair, those objections made sense at the time. Bars looked harsh. Mesh looked industrial. Shutters made a shopfront feel lifeless.
But modern shopfront security — and the expectations around security upgrade approvals — have changed completely. Even organisations like Retail NZ have repeatedly highlighted the shift in risk and the need for updated approaches.
It used to. Modern systems don’t — whether they disappear completely or present as clean, intentional architecture.
Old perforated mesh could noticeably darken a frontage. Transparent internal systems reduce visible light by roughly 5%, which is less than many standard glass tints.
A discreet internal system cannot disrupt anything.
Plywood does — and that’s exactly what you get after an avoidable break-in. Recent reports of ram-raid damage show this clearly.
One of the biggest gaps in security upgrade approvals is that many landlords simply don’t realise what tenants are actually requesting. They’re imagining heavy steel, but tenants are requesting systems that belong in today’s architectural landscape.
These sit behind the glass line, completely inside the tenancy. They don’t touch the façade, they don’t interfere with displays, and from the footpath they look no different from plain glass. Unless you know what to look for, you won’t see them at all.
Systems like Invisi-Guard were developed specifically to give tenants real protection without altering the appearance of the building. The old conflict between security and aesthetics simply doesn’t apply to this category anymore.
These aren’t designed to disappear — they’re designed to look intentional. Clean verticals, tidy geometry, and a fitted, architectural feel that often sharpens a frontage rather than cluttering it. In many retail layouts, the Expandoor folding system looks like part of the original design.
In many premium shopfronts, architectural security is now part of the design because it complements the fitout rather than detracting from it.
When a landlord refuses a security upgrade, the intention is usually to protect the building’s appearance. Ironically, the refusal often causes the very outcome they’re trying to avoid.
Once glass goes, damage spreads quickly — joinery, frames, flooring, lighting, even the tenant’s interior fit-out. Insurance absorbs some of it, but the excess, delays, and disruption add up fast. Guidance from the Insurance Council of New Zealand shows a clear trend: glazing alone is no longer enough protection.
We’re seeing more pressure from insurers for adequate secondary protection on vulnerable shopfronts. Declining an upgrade can weaken a building’s insurance posture without anyone realising it.
A damaged frontage instantly affects the entire strip. Boarded windows, temporary braces, reduced foot traffic — all far more harmful to “amenity” than any modern security system.
We regularly meet tenants doing everything they can to protect their business, yet still being told no — even when the upgrade won’t change the building’s look at all. These tenants don’t stay forever. They negotiate harder or relocate to buildings where the landlord is actively reducing their risk.
It doesn’t take many plywood repairs or crime events before a property gains a reputation. That reputation affects tenant demand, leasing rates, and how lenders and insurers view the asset. Data from Stats NZ shows a clear rise in targeted retail incidents over recent years.
If a security system:
…then declining it on “appearance” grounds no longer holds up. Most refusals we see today are based on an outdated mental picture of what security used to look like.
Updating approval guidelines isn’t an inconvenience. It’s a strategic move that:
Modern security doesn’t harm appearance. Blocking it harms appearance, confidence, and commercial value.
Modern shopfront security is not what it used to be. Transparent systems disappear. Architectural systems elevate the frontage. Both protect against the kind of damage that genuinely makes a building look neglected.
Landlords and body corporates are no longer choosing between “ugly” and “safe.” They’re choosing between modern protection and avoidable damage.
The commercial properties performing best in 2026 share a common thread—and it’s not about who spent the most on upgrades or who’s charging the highest rent. The buildings pulling ahead are the ones where rental income stays steady, predictable, and uninterrupted. This article explains why rental income stability now outperforms traditional speculation strategies in 2026.
Every owner wants rental income stability, but with operating costs rising, insurers reassessing risk exposure, and tenants prioritising certainty over everything else, the market has shifted. The winning strategy isn’t about “big moves” anymore. It’s about the day-to-day operational details that keep a tenant trading, a lease running smoothly, and a property functioning without surprises.
Put simply: The landlords who protect the flow of rent are the ones outperforming the market.
Across the sites we support nationwide, a consistent message comes from the landlords and property managers we work with: the most stable rental income doesn’t come from the newest buildings, but from the ones that keep day-to-day operations smooth for tenants. Properties that stay predictable and interruption-free reliably outperform those relying on upgrades or rent adjustments alone.
One landlord we work with has owned a small four-shop block in New Lynn for more than twenty years. After a long quiet period, break-ins became frequent — each costing roughly $2,000 in repairs and administration. A ram-raid escalated the problem further, closing the dairy tenant for three weeks and eliminating rent for that entire period.
After a detailed security assessment, the weak points were reinforced: new steel service doors, strengthened rear doors, expanding mesh gates behind the glass, upgraded front-door hardware, and a bollard at the dairy entrance. Visibility was preserved, but forced entry attempts would now meet a real physical barrier.
The outcome: five years with zero incidents, significantly improved tenant confidence, and only one renewal without churn since the upgrade — a clear lift in rental-income stability.
Below is an updated look at how commercially minded owners are protecting income and strengthening long-term value across three horizons: short-term stability, medium-term tenant behaviour, and long-term asset performance.
Where small improvements immediately protect rental income.
Short-term gains come from removing the everyday friction points that interrupt normal operations. These aren’t major capital projects — just practical improvements that make the property easier to operate from and easier to insure.
Even small disruptions create financial ripple effects for tenants, and those ripples quickly reach the landlord through:
Simple protective measures drastically reduce these incidents, keeping the building full and giving rental income stability.
Insurers increasingly want to see evidence of proactive risk management. Buildings that demonstrate stability typically experience:
Insurance issues erode cashflow faster than almost anything else. A property that’s easy to insure is a property that protects rent.
Confidence produces value. New tenants settle faster and invest more when the building feels dependable from day one. Confident tenants:
Confidence is one of the most overlooked rent-protection tools.
What the customer sees from the footpath impacts what the tenant earns. Modest improvements in:
…often produce instant increases in foot traffic. And when tenant revenue goes up, rent becomes the easiest payment they make.
Frontage weak points, glazing issues, and inconsistent access often start small and escalate quickly. Tackling these early prevents operational downtime — protecting both the tenant’s revenue and your rental income.
Where stability becomes tenant behaviour — and behaviour becomes valuation.
The strongest commercial assets aren’t those that charge the most — they’re the ones that stay full the longest. Every renewal:
Retention is one of the lowest-cost, highest-return drivers of NOI growth.
A vacancy isn’t just lost rent. It’s:
Supporting existing tenants is almost always cheaper — and far more profitable — than replacing them.
When a building operates smoothly, tenants can forecast their costs with confidence. That alone pushes them toward longer lease terms, renewals, and reinvestment.
Buildings known for stability and reliability attract stronger long-term tenant types:
These occupants stay longer, negotiate less aggressively, and pay consistently.
Operational stability reduces the mid-sized disruptions that can cause serious setbacks—frontage failures, access issues, or insurer interventions. Less turbulence equals more financial predictability.
Where resilience and performance shape the property’s valuation.
Valuers pay attention to consistency. Properties with:
…are rewarded with better cap rates and higher valuations.
A building with fewer incidents earns stronger coverage terms and lower premiums over time.
Safe, well-managed, drama-free buildings stay full and attract premium tenants.
Tenants who stay for 5–15 years reduce volatility and provide long-term income certainty.
Fewer operational disruptions mean fewer large corrective repairs.
Investors pay more for assets with predictable income and manageable risk.
Across all time horizons, the same message emerges: Properties that operate predictably outperform everything else.
This is why forward-thinking landlords focus on:
These aren’t “security measures.” They’re income-protection strategies that preserve rental income and strengthen valuation.
Low-visibility protective improvements—transparent internal barriers, strengthened frontages, upgraded lighting—aren’t chosen for appearance. They’re chosen because they:
They’re not aesthetic decisions. They’re operational ones. And operational decisions drive income.
From what we see across different sites, the landlords who consistently come out ahead aren’t doing anything complicated — they’re simply very good at keeping their rental income steady and hard to disrupt. When a property runs smoothly, it tends to stay full, attract stronger tenants, and deliver uninterrupted income. Over time, the value compounds because the underlying income is reliable.
The sharper operators aren’t focused on squeezing every last dollar out of rent; they’re thinking about one thing: “How do I make sure the income is unbreakable?” Once that’s in place, the valuation follows.
If you want to reduce interruptions, strengthen tenant confidence, and improve rental income stability, the following practical solutions can help:
These options offer practical ways to strengthen day-to-day resilience and reinforce long-term rental income stability.
Welcome to the October edition of our NZ Property Crime Monthly Update — your ongoing look at crime patterns affecting New Zealand businesses and property owners. Each month we compile verified reports of burglaries, ram-raids, aggravated robberies and related incidents from across the country to help build a clearer picture of what’s really happening on the ground.
After September’s spike, October showed little sign of easing. A total of five notable property-crime incidents were reported in our sample, with ram-raids, smash-and-grabs and violent robberies continuing to hit small retailers and service businesses. Offenders remain brazen — several cases involved weapons or vehicles used against shopfronts.
These updates aren’t simply about reporting crime; they’re about learning from it. By examining what actually happened — and how quickly offenders gained entry or caused damage — we can highlight real-world weaknesses in physical protection. In many cases, visible deterrents such as security grilles, anti-jump screens, or removable bollards would have drastically reduced loss or damage.
At Xpanda NZ we continue to monitor these patterns closely through our monthly Crime Watch series. Our aim is to translate headline incidents into practical insights and protective action. Every event below is a reminder that strong, visible security is still the most effective way to prevent both loss and risk to people.
(Note: “Recommended Physical Security” refers to measures that, in retrospect, could have reduced or prevented the impact of the incident. These are not prior Xpanda NZ recommendations.)
What is the Purpose of Safety Barriers? I hear you ask!
Safety barriers play a crucial role in maintaining the safety of workplaces, public areas, and events. By acting as both a physical and visual guide, safety barriers help control movement, reduce risks, and protect people and property. Whether in a warehouse, a retail space, or at a busy transport hub, these systems are an essential part of modern workplace safety planning.
Beyond simply blocking access, safety barriers are designed to serve multiple purposes. They help businesses comply with health and safety requirements, protect valuable equipment from accidental damage, and give the public confidence that their well-being is being prioritised. From guiding pedestrian flow to providing quick solutions during emergencies, barriers are one of the most versatile tools available for creating and maintaining safe environments.
In this guide, we will explore the various ways these barriers are utilised, their significance across different industries, and how they can be adapted for both temporary and permanent applications. By the end, you will have a clearer understanding of how these straightforward but effective systems support safety, organisation, and compliance in a wide variety of settings.
The primary purpose of protective barriers is to create a clear division between safe and unsafe zones. They help prevent accidents, ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, and offer peace of mind to both workers and the public. With their flexible design and quick setup, expanding barriers are also well-suited for temporary situations where immediate access control is required.
At their core, safety barriers are designed to prevent people from coming into contact with hazards. This could mean stopping pedestrians from entering areas where forklifts are operating, keeping customers clear of freshly cleaned floors, or preventing visitors from accessing restricted construction zones. By acting as a physical boundary, barriers protect both people and valuable equipment from unnecessary risk.
In busy environments, safety barriers help guide movement and reduce congestion. Airports, event venues, and shopping centres use barriers to direct large groups of people safely and efficiently. Clear pathways not only improve safety but also improve the overall experience for those moving through the space.
Safety barriers can be deployed for both short-term and long-term needs. Expanding barriers, for example, are portable and easy to move, making them ideal for temporary closures, maintenance work, or emergencies. Permanent barriers, on the other hand, provide a reliable solution for areas that are always off-limits or hazardous. Learn more about our Expanding Barriers.
Businesses have a legal and moral obligation to provide a safe working environment. Safety barriers play a crucial role in fulfilling this responsibility, enabling companies to meet compliance requirements under WorkSafe NZ guidelines. By clearly marking restricted areas and guiding pedestrian flow, barriers reduce the likelihood of accidents and show a commitment to safe practices.
Construction sites, factories, and warehouses all rely on safety barriers to create a secure work environment. Expanding barriers are particularly effective for cordoning off sections of a site where work is underway, such as during electrical repairs or the use of heavy machinery. By keeping hazards separate from everyday operations, barriers reduce the chance of injury and help maintain productivity.
One of the key strengths of safety barriers is their versatility. They can be adapted for both indoor and outdoor use, are suitable for narrow corridors or wide-open spaces, and can be set up quickly in emergencies. Their flexibility makes them suitable for a wide range of industries, including retail, hospitality, manufacturing, and logistics.
In urgent situations, such as spills, equipment breakdowns, or unexpected hazards, safety barriers provide a fast and effective solution. They can be deployed in seconds, allowing staff to secure the area while waiting for a permanent fix. This quick response reduces risk and helps maintain order during potentially stressful events.
Safety barriers are also an affordable way to maintain high standards of safety without requiring extensive structural changes. Instead of building walls or installing permanent fixtures, barriers offer a practical alternative that delivers immediate results. Their durability ensures long-term value, while their adaptability allows them to be reused across various sites and situations.
For businesses and organisations that welcome large numbers of visitors, visible safety barriers help to build trust and confidence. Customers, employees, and guests feel reassured knowing that safety measures are in place, and this confidence contributes to a positive reputation. A well-managed environment signals that safety is taken seriously, which reflects well on the organisation as a whole.
Safety barriers are a simple yet powerful tool for creating safer environments. From keeping people out of restricted areas to helping businesses stay compliant, their role is invaluable. With options like expanding barriers, organisations can choose solutions that are quick to deploy, easy to use, and adaptable to changing needs.
If you are considering adding safety barriers to your workplace or public space, Xpanda offers a range of expanding and durable options designed to protect people and property. Contact our friendly team today to discuss the right solution for your needs.
Welcome to our latest NZ Property Crime Monthly Update, where we track and analyse NZ crime trends. Each month we compile verified reports of burglaries, ram-raids, aggravated robberies and related incidents across the country to provide a clear picture of how property crime is evolving.
Compared with August, September was worse. This update covers 18 reported property crime incidents, up sharply from just 5 the previous month — and while comprehensive, it is not exhaustive of all cases nationwide. Ram raids continued to damage small retailers, but the most worrying change was the rise in violent robberies and reckless property damage, and even lighting fires. Several incidents involved knives or weapons, showing that criminals are becoming bolder and more dangerous, putting both staff and communities at greater risk.
This NZ Property Crime Monthly Update is not just a record of headlines — it’s designed to help businesses understand what kinds of attacks are happening right now. By seeing the patterns, you can take steps to reduce your risk. Many of the cases highlight the absence of deterrents like expanding grilles, anti-jump screens, or security bollards, which could have reduced the scale of damage or even prevented entry altogether.
At Xpanda NZ, we continue to highlight these issues through our Crime Watch series. Our goal is to provide more than news — we share insights into how physical security can be applied in practical, cost-effective ways. Every burglary, robbery or ram-raid in these reports is another reminder of the importance of investing in security that protects both people and property.
(Note: “Recommended Physical Security” refers to measures that, in retrospect, could have reduced or prevented the impact of the incident. These are not prior Xpanda NZ recommendations.)
Our NZ Property Crime Monthly Update for September 2025 shows an escalation compared with August. Ram raids remain destructive, but violent robberies and reckless damage are becoming more common. For businesses, this is a warning that basic locks and cameras are no longer enough. Stronger defences — from expanding grilles to bollards and anti-jump screens — are increasingly essential to deter offenders and protect both people and property.
The Budget 2025 security tax deduction — also called the Investment Boost — is a major win for New Zealand businesses. From 22 May 2025, companies can claim an immediate 20% tax deduction on many new depreciable assets. That includes common shopfront and site security upgrades such as roller shutters, expanding grilles, bollards, anti-jump screens, and perimeter fencing. In other words, protecting your premises with Xpanda physical security could not only reduce crime risk but also deliver a tax saving in the same year.
Every business has unique circumstances. Always confirm with your accountant how the Budget 2025 security tax deduction applies to you.
Ram-raids, break-ins, and smash-and-grabs continue to cost New Zealand businesses millions every year. Often it’s not just the stock loss — it’s repairs, downtime, insurance excess, and staff safety concerns.
The new Budget 2025 security tax deduction makes this the ideal year to act. Instead of writing off security as a “necessary evil,” you can now treat it as a depreciable investment with an immediate tax benefit.
Related reading: NZ Property Crime Monthly Update
Government Fact Sheet (Budget 2025)
Most Xpanda installations fall under Inland Revenue’s depreciable fit-out or site works categories. Examples from IRD’s depreciation tables include:
Some items fall into grey areas where IRD treats them as part of the building rather than separate fit-out:
IRD – Fit-out vs Building Guidance
Here’s how the Budget 2025 security tax deduction could apply to a small retailer upgrading security:
Total investment = $15,000
At the company tax rate of 28%, the Boost alone saves $840 in the first year — before counting the depreciation deductions that continue in future years.
According to the Government fact sheet, the Budget 2025 security tax deduction does not cover:
To claim depreciation (and therefore the Budget 2025 security tax deduction), Inland Revenue guidance says businesses should:
IRD Fit-Out vs Building Guidance
Security isn’t just about peace of mind anymore. With the Budget 2025 security tax deduction, your business can make a strategic investment that protects staff, stock, and premises while delivering a tax saving in the same year.
Talk to Xpanda today about securing your site and making the most of the Investment Boost.
A new Government scheme that allows businesses to immediately deduct 20% of the value of new depreciable assets — including many physical security upgrades.
Roller grilles, trellis doors, bollards, fences, and window bars generally qualify as depreciable fit-out or site works.
Steel security doors (hinged) are often treated as part of the building structure, which typically depreciates at 0%.
This article is based on publicly available Government and IRD information. It is intended as general information only and cannot be taken as tax advice.
Every business has unique circumstances. Always confirm with your accountant how the Budget 2025 security tax deduction applies to your situation.
E&OE (Errors & Omissions Excepted).
Welcome to our latest NZ Property Crime Monthly Update, where we track NZ crime trends in August 2025. This month again underscored a disturbing shift: while burglaries and ram raids remain common, we also saw a spike in aggravated robberies and violent incidents threatening both property and staff safety.
The pattern is clear — ram raids in NZ are still hitting retailers hard, and a growing number of businesses are being exposed by weak or absent security. Without stronger deterrents like bollards, expanding grilles, and anti-jump screens, many sites remain easy targets for offenders.
Xpanda NZ continues to highlight these issues through our Crime Watch series, combining real-world examples with proactive recommendations to help businesses strengthen their defences and protect their people.
(Note: “Recommended Physical Security” refers to measures that, in retrospect, could have reduced or prevented the impact of the incident. These are not prior Xpanda NZ recommendations.)
| Source Article | Xpanda Analysis |
|---|---|
|
1. Fresh sighting of Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips in suspected Waikato grocery burglary By NZ Herald | 27/08/2025 Fugitive Tom Phillips and a child were caught on CCTV cutting into a Piopio superette with a power tool, triggering the alarm. They took only milk and escaped on a quad bike. |
Date: 27/08/2025 Security Measures Mentioned: Metal-barred door, CCTV Recommended Physical Security: Better Locks on bar door |
|
2. Repeated robberies, damage at Tararu Store By The Valley Profile | 26/08/2025 CCTV captured three masked men levering up a roller door with a crowbar, causing major damage. The store has been hit several times before, leaving the owner struggling. |
Date: 26/08/2025 Security Measures Mentioned: Gate beside store Recommended Physical Security: Expanding Grilles, Anti-Jump |
|
3. Two youths charged in Rotorua after business break-in By NZ Herald | 25/08/2025 Rotorua police charged two youths after a break-in on Lake Road, where a vehicle was used to smash entry. The case highlights repeated targeting of the same business area. |
Date: 25/08/2025 Security Measures Mentioned: None mentioned Recommended Physical Security: Bollards, Expanding Grilles |
|
4. Rotorua burglary: Vehicle used for Lake Rd break-in By Rotorua Daily Post | 25/08/2025 Police confirmed offenders used a vehicle to break into a Lake Rd premises. It’s part of a string of similar burglaries in Rotorua, showing repeat patterns. |
Date: 25/08/2025 Security Measures Mentioned: None mentioned Recommended Physical Security: Not many details in article |
|
5. Police chase two stolen cars after aggravated robbery in Manukau By RNZ | 21/08/2025 Armed offenders stole two cars and carried out an aggravated robbery in Manukau. Police pursued them across Auckland before arrests were made. |
Date: 21/08/2025 Security Measures Mentioned: None mentioned Recommended Physical Security: No details |
Ram raid prevention works — and the latest RNZ reporting backs it up. Incidents peaked in August 2022 with 86 in a single month, but have since dropped to around nine per month in 2025 — back to pre-pandemic levels.
You can read the full article here:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/569750/effective-policing-or-fading-social-media-trend-the-rise-and-fall-of-ram-raids
RNZ notes offence data peaked in August 2022 and has steadily declined since. The incidents were identified from police reports using text searches (e.g., “ram raid”), with 2025 averaging nine per month — similar to pre-pandemic levels.
Online behaviour experts quoted by RNZ describe a rise-and-fall pattern driven by social media novelty — but one that fades faster when sites deploy visible deterrents like bollards and fog cannons.
“After something has been cool for a bit — it doesn’t stay being cool for long… There were dairies putting up bollards… It became much, much harder.” — Prof. Ekant Veer (via RNZ)
Kapiti owner Bhavesh Morar, one of nearly a thousand businesses using a grant to add bollards, cameras and fog cannons, told RNZ:
“After we installed the bollards you can sleep a lot better — knowing that you’ve got the preventative measures in place.”
That’s the point: physical security works. When doors and windows are protected by security grilles and fixed ram beams, smash-and-grab becomes slow, noisy and high-risk — most offenders move on.
Assistant Police Commissioner Mike Johnson told RNZ police used “a range of strategies,” including hotspot deployments and the Fast Track programme with Oranga Tamariki to address persistent youth offenders within 24–48 hours.
Those responses work best when the attempt is blocked at the frontage. Layered ram raid prevention looks like this:
For effective ram raid prevention, spacing and footing depth matter. Place bollards to block vehicle approach to glazing and main doors, and sink footings to engineer’s specifications for your substrate. Pair visible deterrents with locking hardware and security grilles to create a layered barrier. Insurers increasingly favour compliant installations because strong physical security lowers claim frequency and severity.
Protect your business now.
Talk to the Xpanda team about proven, NZ-made ram raid prevention — bollards, security grilles and fixed ram beams that stop criminals in their tracks and help you sleep better at night.
Stepping into August 2025, our latest ‘NZ Property Crime Monthly Update’ analyzing July’s incidents reveals a critical, persistent trend: **a significant number of targeted properties continue to lack adequate physical security, leaving them exposed to forceful entry or vehicle impact.** More worryingly, we’re observing a rise in aggravated and armed robberies, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced staff protection, including measures like ‘anti-jump’ screens.
Xpanda NZ, a leader in robust security solutions, believes in proactive prevention. This ‘Crime Watch’ series provides insights into real-world incidents, emphasizing the vital role of strategic, layered security in deterring criminals and safeguarding your property.
(Note: “Recommended Physical Security” refers to measures that, in retrospect, could have prevented the incident, not prior Xpanda NZ recommendations.)
The consistent volume of incidents where basic physical security was absent or poorly executed serves as a potent reminder of the advantage afforded to criminals. Below, we present key cases from July 2025, illustrating these ongoing vulnerabilities and the need for vigilant protection.
This curated selection is presented objectively to highlight recurring patterns in property crime, not as an exhaustive report.
| Source Article | Xpanda Analysis |
|---|---|
|
1. Break-in at Kaitaia water treatment plant damages safety systems By Northland Age | Recent Break-in at Kaitaia water treatment plant damages safety systems Break-in at Kaitaia water treatment plant damages safety systems |
Date: Recent Security Measures Mentioned: None mentioned Recommended Physical Security: Steel Doors |
|
2. Shots fired during robbery at Whangarei bar By 1 News | July 27, 2025 Shots fired during robbery at Whangarei bar |
Date: July 27, 2025 Security Measures Mentioned: None mentioned Recommended Physical Security: Anti-Jump Screen |
|
3. Aggravated robbery in Ngaruawahia, thieves use stolen ute By Waikato Herald | July 25, 2025 Aggravated robbery in Ngaruawahia, thieves use stolen ute |
Date: July 25, 2025 Security Measures Mentioned: None mentioned Recommended Physical Security: Anti-Jump Screen |
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4. Youth allegedly brandishes machete during aggravated robbery in Moerewa By Northern Advocate / Brodie Stone | July 22, 2025 Youth allegedly brandishes machete during aggravated robbery in Moerewa Youth allegedly brandishes machete during aggravated robbery in Moerewa |
Date: July 22, 2025 Security Measures Mentioned: None mentioned Recommended Physical Security: Anti-Jump Screen |
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5. ‘Where else is safe?’ Hospitality crime prompts bistro owner’s move By Stuff / Mildred Armah | July 21, 2025 ‘Where else is safe?’ Hospitality crime prompts bistro owner’s move ‘Where else is safe?’ Hospitality crime prompts bistro owner’s move |
Date: July 21, 2025 Security Measures Mentioned: None mentioned Recommended Physical Security: Expanding Grilles |
|
6. Supermarket burgled twice in 24 hours, arrests after second raid By 1 News | July 11, 2025 Supermarket burgled twice in 24 hours, arrests after second raid Supermarket burgled twice in 24 hours, arrests after second raid |
Date: July 11, 2025 Security Measures Mentioned: None mentioned Recommended Physical Security: Bollards, Expanding Grilles |
|
7. Auckland dairy owner escapes injury after teen allegedly pulls knife during cookie robbery By Stuff / Chris Marriner | July 9, 2025 Auckland dairy owner escapes injury after teen allegedly pulls knife during cookie robbery Auckland dairy owner escapes injury after teen allegedly pulls knife during cookie robbery |
Date: July 9, 2025 Security Measures Mentioned: None mentioned Recommended Physical Security: Anti-Jump Screen |
|
8. Suspected ram raid at New Plymouth store By Stuff / Will Johnston | July 7, 2025 Suspected ram raid at New Plymouth store |
Date: July 7, 2025 Security Measures Mentioned: None mentioned Recommended Physical Security: Bollards, Expanding Grilles |
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9. Teen charged after two aggravated robberies in Invercargill By Southland Times | July 5, 2025 Teen charged after two aggravated robberies in Invercargill |
Date: July 5, 2025 Security Measures Mentioned: None mentioned Recommended Physical Security: Anti-Jump Screen |
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10. Rotorua ram raid: Hamills store targeted, items stolen overnight By Rotorua Daily Post | July 4, 2025 Rotorua ram raid: Hamills store targeted, items stolen overnight Rotorua ram raid: Hamills store targeted, items stolen overnight |
Date: July 4, 2025 Security Measures Mentioned: None mentioned Recommended Physical Security: Bollards, Expanding Grilles |
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11. Upper Hutt store owner sleeping on shop floor after break-in By The Post / Justin Wong | July 2, 2025 Upper Hutt store owner sleeping on shop floor after break-in Upper Hutt store owner sleeping on shop floor after break-in |
Date: July 2, 2025 Security Measures Mentioned: None mentioned Recommended Physical Security: Bollards, Expanding Grilles |
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12. Police investigate two Tauranga ram-raids – Viking Dairy By Sunlive | July 1, 2025 Police investigate two Tauranga ram-raids – Viking Dairy |
Date: July 1, 2025 Security Measures Mentioned: None mentioned Recommended Physical Security: Bollards, Expanding Grilles |
