Real stories A high tobacco tax sold Fog Cannons Home / Real stories / A high tobacco tax sold Fog Ca... PROTECT New Zealand has won a tender issued by the government, and sold hundreds of Fog Cannons to small owner-operated convenience stores, liquor stores and petrol stations. Prior to this, a dramatically increased tobacco tax led to more night and daytime robberies than normal. Some shop owners were hurt and even killed, which understandably caused a huge upset. Protests and demands started to the government for better protection. The situation was a great opportunity and success for PROTECT New Zealand. 40% decrease in robberies National prevention manager Superintendent Eric Tibbott said Fog Cannons had led to a 40 percent decrease in reported aggravated robberies. “Where we’ve put the Fog Cannons in, we’ve also checked the CCTV, and of those we’ve had very little property stolen and no violence committed against the victim in those locations so it’s very, very effective”, Tibbott concludes. Police Minister Stuart Nash: “Fog Cannons have been activated by workers in 29 businesses and in all cases, there were no injuries to staff and minimal property loss for business owners. There were 21 robberies in December 2019, a fall of more than 70 percent on the 78 robberies in April 2017.” Image source: Ryan Andersen/Stuff.co.nz