“More businesses are being hit by ram raids nightly than benefitting from the Government’s $6 million fund for vulnerable small retailers,” says ACT’s Police spokesperson Chris Baillie.

“When questioned in Parliament the Minister of Police said “Only a small number of businesses have access to the fund so far. I think five have had improvements completed as a result of being able to access the fund so far.”

“That’s five businesses benefitting from a fund that was announced in May, yet six separate ram raids occurred in Auckland last night alone.

“This is another case of Labour sitting back and hoping the problem will go away. The issue is that when it doesn’t they panic and announce rushed policy – what are the odds of a ‘Ram Raid Taskforce’ being announced?

“Ram raids are one of the major problems affecting New Zealanders right now, and Labour has not gone hard or early.

“Labour’s soft on crime approach has seen these offences erupt. Officers have told me that these offenders have no fear of consequence. Much of the current crimewave is being caused by re-offenders which shows that not enough is being done to steer these kids away from a life of crime.

“For every crime committed there is a victim who deserves better, and when youth is involved, the stakes are even higher – we can’t sit by while young New Zealanders become criminals.”

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