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 |
|---|---|
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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