Shops in Ormeau, Mount Cotton and Holmview targeted by thieves

A gang of thieves remain on the run after three shops were targeted during an early morning crime spree across Brisbane’s south as dramatic CCTV footage shows the moment the men rammed the shops with a stolen vehicle.

A GANG of thieves remain on the run after three shops were targeted during an early morning crime spree across the Redlands, Gold Coast and Logan.

Four men driving two stolen cars — a Mitsubishi Pajero and Hyundai i30 — rammed the front glass doors of a Mount Cotton supermarket on Valley Way about 1am.

Police said the Hyundai was used as a “lookout” car while the Pajero was used to force entry to the businesses.

Police said the gang fled when they realised there was someone inside.

The group targeted Drakes supermarket next at Ormeau, where the Pajero was again used to force entry into the business about 1.30am.

This time, the men stole cash and cigarettes before driving to Logan River Rd at Holmview where they rammed a newsagency and stole more cigarettes.

The men captured on CCTV footage outside the Mount Cotton supermarket.

Detective Senior Sergeant Michael Corby said this afternoon the cars, that were stolen from a Carina Heights home last night, were yet to be located.

One of the drivers was captured on CCTV in a petrol drive off at a Mount Gravatt service station prior to the break ins.

Det snr sgt Corby said the crime series had caused “significant damage” to the three shops.

“It’s disappointing that such significant damage was caused to those businesses,” he said.

“Certainly the operators of the business are at significant loss in terms of their ability to continue to operate their businesses and just the cost of repairing the damage.”

Stills taken from the CCTV footage of the robberies at Ormeau and Mount Cotton.

Det snr sgt Corby appealed for anyone who had seen the vehicles between 7pm and 2am to contact police.

“We’ve got some quality CCTV images and we’d be appealing for members of the public to look at the images and contact police if they’re able to offer any information,” he said.

The two stolen vehicles are a grey 2014 Mitsubishi Pajero bearing Queensland registration 043 VHN and a white 2016 Hyundai i30 hatchback bearing Queensland registration 653 XIR.

The Hyundai has a logo on the driver’s side door that reads Story House Early Learning.

Investigations continue.