Upper Hutt Stirling Sports owner Suraj Prakash Sund devastated after 2nd burglary

After 6am on Monday, four burglars broke into Suraj Prakash Sund’s Stirling Sports franchise on Main Street, Upper Hutt, smashing the glass front door and stealing branded sportswear, Stuff  has reported.

Sund told Stuff that the incident traumatised his family, who had experienced a previous burglary at the store, and that the emotional impact was the hardest to bear. He said his children woke up crying after his phone alarm went off, sensing that something was wrong.

The burglars were inside the shop for only a short time, but Sund said the financial and emotional consequences would last much longer. He estimated the stolen merchandise, including Nike, Adidas, and other branded clothing, was worth more than $10,000.

Sund said the thought of his children being in the store during the burglary was particularly haunting, noting that his wife works there part-time.

Sund opened the store in April last year, funding it with his savings and a bank loan. Within three weeks, the shop had already been burgled. He said that time, a man had smashed the front door with an axe around 10.30 or 11pm, and the damage took five days to repair. Sund recounted sleeping inside the shop on an air mattress during that period because he did not feel safe leaving it unattended.

After the first burglary, Sund said he had considered installing a security shutter, but the $8,000 to $10,000 cost was unaffordable. He said shoplifting continued over the following months until the second break-in on Monday.

Sund told Stuff that only one police officer was on patrol on Monday morning. He said the officer initially indicated fingerprints would be collected, but no one arrived until 4pm, and he had to call again to follow up. Sund described the store closure as a financial burden, noting that he still had to pay staff, suppliers, and his bank loan despite the disruption.

He said insurance would cover some losses, but premiums had already risen to about $6,000 annually following the first burglary. Sund said the immediate pressure came from his bank loan, warning that any further setbacks could put his family on the street.

Before opening the store, Sund told Stuff that he worked over 80 hours a week as a self-employed taxi driver and delivery worker.

He said he had invested in the business to spend more time with his family, but now running the shop feels like his “biggest regret.”

He added that he had supported the community by providing jobs and backing the local rugby club, and felt disheartened that such efforts were met with repeated theft.

A police spokesperson told Stuff that reports of a burglary at a commercial premises on Main Street, Upper Hutt, were received around 6am on Monday. The spokesperson said police attended and are making inquiries, and a forensic examination would be conducted once the appropriate resources were available.

Sunny Kaushal, chairperson of the ministerial advisory group on retail crime, described the incident as a clear case of organised theft and said criminals must be held accountable. Kaushal told Stuff that repeated offending against small business owners could threaten their survival, emphasising the need to support retailers.