Police appeal for witnesses after service station smash and grab

A Newtown service station was hit in the early hours of Wednesday, with several young offenders forcing their way in and stealing a large amount of cigarettes.

Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward after about $20,000 worth of cigarettes were stolen from the Metro Petroleum service station in Newtown, in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

CCTV of the incident shows the offenders smash the service station’s front door with a hammer before jumping over the counter and using a hatchet force to open the smoke cabinet. 

Three young offenders help themselves to trays of cigarettes while the store’s alarm rings out. 

At one point an offender leaps over the counter but loses his footing, falling to the ground and scattering the stolen cigarette. 

Toowoomba Detective Senior Sergeant Paul McCusker said police were searching for a dark colour 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe (246YWY) used in the burglary. 

“The vehicle was stolen from a Centenary Heights home at 2.30am on Tuesday,” he said.

“In that the owner of the house was woken to the sound of their vehicle driving out from the driveway.

“It appears the keys may have been left near the vehicle.” 

The offenders are still on the run.

Anyone with information on their whereabouts is urged to come forward. 

Phone Policelink on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Originally published as Police appeal for witnesses after service station smash and grab