THIEVES have stolen an entire cigarette cabinet during a brazen ram raid in East Albury.
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The Caltex on North Street was targeted about 11.10pm on Monday night.
A silver 2008 model Hyundai iMax had been stolen from the Regent Cinema car park at some stage between 3pm and 6.30pm.
Three people were caught on CCTV inside the vehicle as it reversed into the front entry to the petrol station three times, smashing open the doors.
Two people with gloves and their faces covered got out and used a jemmy bar to dislodge a cigarette cabinet before putting it into the van.
The car was destroyed in an arson attack at Annette Street in Lavington about 15 minutes later.
Police arrested a 16-year-old and two 14-year-olds on Tuesday and charged them with the theft of the car.
It’s not alleged, at this stage, they were the trio involved in the ram raid, only that they stole the Hyundai.
It was the third ram raid targeting businesses in the region since February.
The Jindera IGA was targeted on February 20, with thieves stealing bottles of alcohol and attempting to take cigarettes.
The vehicle was torched.
The Thurgoona Golf Club was rammed on March 24, with an ATM unsuccessfully targeted.
In all three incidents, the vehicles were reversed into the front doors, but Detective Inspector Winston Woodward said the incidents did not appear to be linked.
“It’s a brazen incident,” he said of the latest ram raid.
“Police are calling for members of the public to contact Albury police station or Crime Stoppers with any information they do have on these three suspects.
“In relation to the ram raid on the Thurgoona Golf Club and this one, there’s no developing trend.”
Staff at the Caltex had to clean up the store on Tuesday morning, with items including cigarette rolling papers and lollies put back into place.
The entry to the business had to be fixed by glaziers.
It was unclear how many packets of cigarettes were stolen or what the value of the theft was.
Detective Inspector Woodward said people should report any cases of people trying to sell cheap cigarettes to the Albury station or to Crime Stoppers.
Call (02) 6023 9299 or 1800 333 000.
