A chain of raiding devices with a health and safety critic after a midnight burglary

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The team at a family-run appliance chain turned the other cheek after the robbery of one of their stores, but only to stick their tongues more firmly.

Leader and Watt of Manawatū saw their Palmerston North store on Rangitīkei Street hit by thieves who broke through the loading bay door with an angle grinder in a midnight raid last week.

After viewing security footage, staff had few concerns and decided to share some health and safety tips on what the thieves did wrong on Leader and Watt’s Facebook page – helpfully illustrated with photos of the raiders in action.

Watt leader and director Peter Watt said the post was a team effort, a way to blow off steam and let off steam and an entertaining way to see if anyone could identify the raiders.

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Provided

Two thieves cutting the padlock on the loading dock of the Leader and Watt’s Palmerston North store. Watt leader and director Peter Watt said they were lucky they didn’t lose an eye and eye protection was a must when using a grinder or cutter.

“You can get angry, which we are, and let things escalate, or you can step back and laugh.

“It’s just stuff, nobody got hurt, and they didn’t cause major damage like driving a car through our front window.”

The thieves fled with a few televisions, soundbars, and a $ 120 clock radio, before leaving the loading dock in a station wagon for Taonui St.

Watt said it was always particularly disappointing when people targeted local businesses instead of supporting them.

“What about this time of year?” They could have just waited until Black Friday, they could have gotten a good deal and we would have delivered everything for them. “

The appliance store team was committed to preventing workplace accidents, even after working hours, and felt compelled to share their expertise.

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The Leader team and Watt are so committed to the health and safety of their stores that they even offer friendly advice to thieves who break in.

From the failure to scan using the Covid-19 tracker app and their lack of masks, wearing them was surely the best practice for thieves even before the pandemic.

To improper lifting technique, where you risked putting your back back while carrying a large TV – which was safer as a two-person lift.

The raiders were even more careless with personal safety than they were brazen.

And it was cheeky to rob a store in the middle of town on one of the busiest nights of the week, while still making enough noise to wake people living in apartments and buildings nearby, said Watt.

To show that there really was no grudge, the staff at Leader and Watt also kindly dropped off a set of cutters that the thieves left in the driveway with the police.

Now they knew where to go if they wanted to recover their lost property; if the police didn’t come to them first.

Watt said the catchy humor of the Facebook post is already doing the trick.

“In less than an hour, we got our first call from someone who said ‘yeah, I think I know who it is’.”

PROVIDED

CCTV footage showing thief risking his back carrying a Leader and Watt television Palmerston North; the store team suggests a two-man team for any TV over 32 inches.

Anyone with information about the break-in can call the police on 105, or make an anonymous report via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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