‘Looks like they're never going to stop’: Ramraiders target much-loved local dairy

Wednesday, 22 July 2026

Staff at a Christchurch dairy say they feel “helpless” after they were targeted by ramraiders early on Wednesday morning.

A car smashed through the metal security grille at the front of Gopals Dairy in Hornby in an apparent ramraid, with photos shared online showing the vehicle inside the store.

Shattered glass was strewn across the floor inside and outside the popular shop on Main South Rd, which has been a fixture in the community for generations.

The business was one of two targeted on Tuesday night, after offenders earlier targeted a liquor store on Edgeware Rd.

A worker at Gopal’s Dairy was downbeat over the ramraid when Stuff spoke to them on Wednesday morning.

“Nobody can do anything,” they said, describing themselves as “helpless” to thefts that “go on and on”.

“It looks like they're never going to stop,” they told Stuff.

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The thieves went for the cigarettes.

“Everybody’s targeted, especially the people who sell cigarettes,” the worker said, adding it was “not a crime to sell cigarettes”.

Senior Sergeant Hamish Keer-Keer said police were called to a premises on Edgeware Rd at around 2.20am after offenders unlawfully entered the premises using tools, targeting alcohol and cigarettes before leaving the area in vehicle.

At around 2.50am, police were called to the car crashed into Gopals Dairy.

“The offenders have left the area in a second vehicle, which was later located abandoned in the Riccarton area.

“Enquiries into the two incidents are ongoing, including whether these incidents are related,” Keer-Keer said.

Anyone with information on these incidents should contact police and quote reference number 260722/4338.