Another Queenstown liquor store ram-raided

A ram-raid at a liquor store in Frankton yesterday is the second in the area in the past eight months.

Big Barrel Remarkables Park owner Ranbir Singh said the ram-raid occurred about 2.30am, with a car being driven into the store's entrance at "full speed".

Four males who looked like older teenagers spent about two minutes "grabbing whatever they could grab" before driving away.

Mr Singh estimated the value of the stolen stock and the damage to the building at "quite a few thousand dollars".

"They damaged quite a bit more stock than what they took." 

The store's security system raised the alarm immediately, and he understood the incident was witnessed by a few bystanders, who had contacted police.

It is the second ram-raid of a liquor store in the area in the past eight months - a Super Liquor store about 100 metres away was ram-raided by youths last November.  

Mr Singh said he understood police had made some arrests in connection to the incident.

"That's good news, and also for other businesses operating in Queenstown.

"Today it's my business - maybe tomorrow it's going to be their business."

Mr Singh, who also owns liquor stores in Nelson and Christchurch, said there were fewer ram-raids happening around the country than a few years ago, so he was surprised there had been two in Queenstown in a short time.

Such incidents were a "big dent" on its reputation.

"People are flying from all over the world to come to Queenstown, and then these things happen.

"New Zealand is supposed to be one of the safest countries."

Those responsible for the ram-raid had probably driven away at high speed, posing a risk to everyone else in the area.

If an innocent person got hurt, it would be hugely damaging for the resort town's global reputation, he said.

"If you're running from this type of thing, you're not going to drive slowly.

"Even late at night, people are still out enjoying themselves."

Remarkables Park management had arranged for the damage to be repaired quickly, which had allowed the store to reopen only a few hours later than usual, he said.

Queenstown police and national police media have been contacted for comment.