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Seven Canterbury businesses have been targeted in an overnight crime spree, with the owner of one of the shops hit revealing workers fear for their safety every day.
The robberies and ram-raids happened between about 3am and 6am on Monday.
The stores hit in the raids span Christchurch, with one in Lyttelton.
Police have confirmed three were ram-raided.
The owner of one of the businesses broken into overnight - Aum Foodmarket in Woolston - told RNZ shop workers feared for their safety every day.
Preeti Patel said CCTV footage showed the robbers kicked in the shop's glass front door and caused damage inside the store before running off with lollies.
"They've damaged our power system, they've damaged our counter and [to] tell you the truth, it's quite frustrating," she said.
"[There are] people in authority who can do something but just nobody's doing anything and we are paying the price for it."
Patel said shop owners felt helpless in the face of the continued break-ins.
Officers are investigating whether the burglaries are linked.
There were no arrests at this stage, police said.
