Gold Coast police investigating after thieves target cigarettes in four business break-and-enters

Police are investigating after another Gold Coast shop was broken into and raided for cigarettes after a spate of similar break-and-enters in recent days.

POLICE are investigating after another Gold Coast shop was broken into and raided for cigarettes after three similar break-and-enters in recent days.

Gold Coast police officers were called to the businesses on Peachey Rd at Ormeau about 2.15am on Thursday.

Police believe up to four offenders entered through the back door of the store before stealing “a quantity of cigarettes” and fleeing the area.

Investigations were ongoing later on Thursday morning.

Cigarettes are increasingly being stolen in break-and-enters on the Gold Coast.

On Tuesday, Gold Coast Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman said the onselling of stolen cigarettes was a “lucrative market”.

Thieves are taking tobacco products due to their easy resale, the ever-increasing cost of smoking and because business owners generally do not keep large amounts of cash onsite.

Police were responding to the thefts, particularly on the northern Coast, “with intelligence-driven patrols”.

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October 12: Thieves are increasingly targeting cigarettes instead of cash in break-and-enters across the Gold Coast due to easy resale, the booming cost of smoking and a lack of money kept onsite.

Police have been working hard to nab the culprits behind three businesses break-ins and the theft of cigarettes since early Monday morning, according to Gold Coast Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman

Gold Coast Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Police believe at least two of the three crimes in the north of the city are linked.

However, in recent times the theft of cigarettes – including during armed robberies and ram-raids – has been a fairly common occurrence.

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The first of the three break-ins happened at a grocery store at the intersection of Reserve Rd and Oxenford Tamborine Rd at Upper Coomera. about 3.15am on Monday.

Windows were smashed and an undisclosed quantity of cigarettes were stolen, police stated.

The second break-in occurred at a supermarket on the corner of Foxwell Rd and Oakey Creek Rd at Coomera about 1.30am on Tuesday.

Smoking is an increasingly expensive habit – and it seems crooks are taking advantage.

Police believe three offenders forced entry before stealing cigarettes, fleeing to an underground car park and leaving the area.

Little more than an hour later, thieves forced their way into a supermarket on Pascoe Rd at Ormeau and made off with cigarettes about 2.45am.

Act Supt Wildman said cigarettes were certainly “a marketable item” as prices have continually spiked in a successful effort to drive down smoking rates.

“They’re easy to transport etcetera and they obviously give a good cash return – we suspect anyway – on what they’re stealing,” he said.

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“They’re (thieves) targeting stores particularly in the northern end of the police district in recent days.

Thieves are smashing their way into shops to steal cigarettes.

“We’re responding with intelligence-driven patrols and our detectives are following up a number of leads in relation to identifying and locating those offenders.”

Act Supt said cigarettes were an expensive item “and hence there’s a demand" and “they’re easy to onsell”, particularly to younger people, though some have instead turned to vaping.

The bright side? Reselling cigarettes is undoubtedly a dwindling market.

“There’s less and less people smoking, Act Supt Wildman said.

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“Each year there’s less and less Australians smoking and taking up smoking.

“It’s a small market, but it’s a lucrative one for anyone onselling products of that nature.”

Act Supt Wildman warned anyone knowingly buying stolen cigarettes could be charged with receiving tainted property.

Know more about the break-ins? Phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.