Thieves target Zuccoli IGA for the seventh time in 14 months

ZUCCOLI IGA is thousands of dollars out of pocket after thieves smashed their way into the shop

The Zuccoli IGA supermarket and Cellarbrations

ZUCCOLI IGA is thousands of dollars out of pocket after thieves smashed their way, through two different doors, into the shop.

Five people allegedly broke into the IGA and Cellarbrations supermarket and bottleshop in the early hours of Saturday, stealing bottles of alcohol and packets of cigarettes.

It is the seventh time the shop has been targeted, in just 14 months, duty manager Fay Powell said.

“It just throws everything out when they do this,” she said.

“We couldn’t do anything for the first hour or so, we just had to clean up. ... We’re pretty pissed off by it all.”

Ms Powell said the thieves got a “fair bit of alcohol”. She said they also broke cupboard doors and drawers to steal cigarettes.

“They just made a mess of it all,” she said.

The alleged thieves made their getaway in what NT Police said was a car that was also stolen yesterday morning.

Patrolling police spotted the car leaving the shopping complex about 5am on yesterday, and followed it.

Eventually, they deployed tyre deflation devices.

The car travelled over the spikes, blowing the tyres but continued for another few kilometres.

Ms Powell said investigators who returned to the IGA told staff the car’s occupants threw bottles out of the windows while driving away.

“They were trying to smash the windows of the police car, to stop them following,” she said.

Eventually the quintet stopped the car and attempted to escape on foot.

Two people were arrested, but police are still searching for three others.

New owners of the IGA will now install more permanent security at the site, which will include a static guard.

Two businesses in Millner were also targeted on Friday night and Saturday morning.

It is not clear whether the same people were involved.

NT Police are calling for any witnesses to contact Crime Stoppers on 1300 333 000.