New Crime Stoppers campaign aims to catch more ram-raiders

Ram-raids regularly make headlines in Aotearoa, and though they have been down since last year, police figures show them on the rise once again.

On average there were 74 ram-raids per month in 2022, the most being in August when 116 were reported nationwide.

In the first four months of 2023 there were 230 – an average of about 58 per month – but recent police figures show they're on the rise once again.

To combat this, Crime Stoppers, an independent charity that reports anonymous information to police, is launching a new campaign specifically for tracking down wanted ram-raiders.

From today, the organisation is putting up posters in crime hotspots across Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch, urging people to get in touch if they see anything or have any tips.

The campaign will also involve targeted ads online and on social media for those surfing the web in those geographic areas.

Crime Stoppers CEO Hadyn Smith told 1News that ram raids were "probably at the top of the list at the moment", describing them as "almost like the modern scourge".

"I know a lot of people are scared to speak up, clearly when it's involving gangs and underworld type stuff."

As the charity launches the specialised campaign, there is hope that numbers will stay down and business owners can have more peace of mind.