Fendi boutique, Collins St latest victim in spate of attacks on luxury stores in Melbourne’s CBD

A luxury boutique on Collins St has been rammed by a vehicle just before sunrise on Tuesday in the latest of a string of attacks on high-end stores in Melbourne.

Brazen offenders have smashed through the storefront of a designer store before fleeing the scene empty-handed in a bungled attempted luxury heist on Tuesday morning.

The Fendi boutique at the ‘Paris end’ of Collins St was rammed by a vehicle just shortly before 6am in the latest of a string of attacks on luxury stores in Melbourne’s CBD.

But after smashing the storefront, the attempted-thieves couldn’t get through roller doors behind the glass windows at 85 Collins St and took off without any prized items.

The Fendi robbery is the fourth attack on a luxury boutique in a matter of weeks.

Offenders rammed the front of the store shortly before 6am.

Roller doors behind the glass kept the offenders from entering the store.

Police had originally feared the thieves had taken off with luxury handbags, which can retail for more than $9000 each, as well as clothing, but later confirmed the offenders had not managed to steal any items.

The offenders made their getaway in separate vehicles, which were last seen travelling south along St Kilda Rd.

Luxury handbags and clothing remain out of offenders’ reach behind roller doors.

It’s the fourth high-end boutique to be targeted in a matter of weeks in Melbourne.

The Dior boutique was first ramraided on March 6 before being hit again just two weeks later.

In that raid, a ute was reversed through the glass storefront before thieves managed to steal a number of items, leaving mannequins and glass strewn across the floor.

Police inspect the Dior store in Collins Street after a ram raid in March. Picture: Brendan Beckett

Thieves took off with a number of high-end items from the Dior store. Picture: Brendan Beckett

The Louis Vuitton store in Southbank was next to be targeted, with thieves stealing a loot of high-end items worth thousands of dollars in broad daylight.

Then, on April 6, the roller door of the David Jones on Bourke St was rammed by thieves who took off with luxury handbags.

It comes after the Herald Sun reported underground demand for luxury designer goods is fuelling the multimillion-dollar boutique ram-raids in the city, with at least $5m stolen from Collins St stores in the last 10 years.

Investigators are working to determine whether Tuesday’s burglary at Fendi is linked to the other incidents.

Any witnesses, anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

Originally published as Fendi boutique, Collins St latest victim in spate of attacks on luxury stores in Melbourne’s CBD