A Countdown supermarket in Whangarei was forced to close early on Saturday, 7 November, after it became the target for a crowd of youths on a looting rampage. About 100 of them, described as aged between 12 and 17, gathered outside the store whilst others looted items from inside, focusing on alcohol and chocolate bars.
Unable to contain them, Countdown staff were shaken. Police were called on the scene around 9.30 pm and arrested two people for disorder-related offending; the rest of the group was pushed away. Police officers assume that the group had come from a nearby public fireworks display, which had ended at Toll Stadium just a few minutes before.
