Kuripuni Lotto and Post Shop is no longer selling cigarettes after a robbery on Tuesday. PHOTO/MARY ARGUE
MARY ARGUE
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A Kuripuni store is refusing to sell cigarettes after a targeted smash-and-grab raid.
Kuripuni Lotto and Post Shop was the target of a robbery early Tuesday morning, where masked individuals stole an entire cigarette cabinet.
Camera footage showed two thieves smashing their way through the front glass doors shortly after 5am.
Using a crowbar and hammer, the pair ripped the cigarette cabinet from the wall in a frenzied robbery that lasted no more than three minutes.
Nothing else was taken in the raid.
The store owner, Chris, [who wanted to be known by his first name only] said he had lost at least “a couple of thousand” dollars.
He said the store had not yet implemented heavier security, but it had sold its last cigarette.
“We won’t be selling cigarettes anymore. There’s just too much risk.”
Chris said it was fortunate no one was in the store at the time of the burglary.
He said a new glass door had been installed and the store had continued to operate as usual.
A police officer inspected the smashed glass door and dusted it for fingerprints at the scene on Tuesday morning.
He said the cameras caught the thieves kicking through the glass and removing panes with bare hands.
He said forensics would be instrumental in identifying the thieves.
Police spokesperson said inquiries were ongoing and could not yet provide an update on the investigation.
