A Kiwi-Indian store owner whose family runs IndoKiwi Supermarket on Hall Street, Pukekohe, says he is shaken after the shop was burgled twice in less than 24 hours. The first at 4am on Saturday and again at 3.30am on Sunday.
Now, he’s questioning whether small retail businesses who sell “groceries, milk and chocolates” will be forced to spend heavily just to feel safe.
“What do small retailers have to do now? Put up grills and bars like Jewellery stores to sell chocolates and milk?” he told The Indian Weekender.
Referring to heavily fortified jewellery stores in some parts of Auckland, most of which operate behind bars, grills, multiple locks and CCTV, he said he’s beginning to wonder if “this is the kind of capital that needs to be invested just to feel safe.”
Also read – Papatoetoe Jewellery Jail: Upped Security, More Grills, Less Glimmer
“I’ve lived in New Zealand for 11 years, and this is the first time I’ve experienced anything like this,” he said. “I’ve never even had my car stolen.”
He added that if his family had been present during the burglary, “the news headlines would have been entirely different.”
He shares that for him, it’s not about the money or the items stolen.
“It’s about the safety of me and my family,” he said.
The total value of the stolen items is still being assessed. But the damage, he said, is evident.
“The burglars broke glass, went for the till, and smashed shelves,” he explained.
Police have returned some of the recovered items, but he says he wants it to be offered to a charity.
“It is not about the money.I have kept the recovered items in a bag,
and will donate those products to charity.”
The first burglary only came to light when the family arrived to open the shop and saw police outside.
“We saw the police presence and that’s when we realised the shop had been burgled,” he said.
According to him, three people broke through the main glass door during the first incident and took chocolates, lollies and toffees. Police were alerted at around 7.50am on Sunday, when the damage was discovered.
But before repairs could be made, the store was hit again.
Anticipating another attempt, the owner had set up his security cameras to send real-time alerts.
“I got a notification at 3.30am on Sunday. I watched it happen live on my phone.”
One person went straight for the till, he said, while others ran around grabbing drinks and chocolates—breaking eggs and trashing the store.
He immediately phoned the police. Officers arrived quickly and were able to arrest the suspects.
A police spokesperson confirmed to 1News that a 19-year-old man is scheduled to appear in Pukekohe District Court on July 16 on a burglary charge. Four other young people are being dealt with through the youth process.
The Police could not confirm whether the two burglaries were linked, but the inquiries are ongoing.
"What about the youngsters involved in this? They were misled into doing it. This reflects a failure in their upbringing, and as a community, we must address it," the owner says.
Port Waikato MP Andrew Bayly also visited the shop after the incident.
“He stood with us. He always does. He got the message and came to see us,” the owner said.
As the cleanup continues, “the shop still stinks of broken eggs,” he said.
The family is waiting on the final stocktake from the insurance company.
ISSUE
Leave a Comment