30-year-old Dairy Shop Shuts after Robbery and Assault
Ajit Singh Sagoo, owner of the Ulster Street Dairy Shop, celebrated the store’s 30th anniversary in January this year, but fate took a drastic turn after a recent robbery prompted the family to shut the dairy and put it up for lease.
In 1985, Ajit Singh Sagoo—one of the first few diary shop owners during the time—started the Ulster Street Dairy in Hamilton. He migrated from England to Hamilton in 1975 with his family and worked as a professor of Physics, Applied Mathematics and Calculus at the Fairfield College. 10 years later, he established the first dairy shop of Hamilton.
On Friday, 11 April, around 7.30 pm, Mr Ajit was at his shop when a masked man stormed into the store, pointed a gun to his head and demanded for money from the counter. After initial resistance, the man assaulted Mr Ajit, who sustained chest and neck injuriesand had his jaws dislocated.
“He hurt my neck and when the man pushed me, I hurt the back of my head. His fist punch left a sore on my chest, which is less painful now, and the right side of my face is still a little swollen,” said Mr Ajit.
After pushing Mr Ajit into the shelves behind him, the burglar snatched all the cash from the drawer, broke the glass panes of the store and ran towards the school behind the store. Mr Ajit ran towards the gate and called the police. As the offender’s face was covered with a balaclava, the police have not been able to identify the man even after extensively going through the CCTV footage from the store. The footage has revealed that a fake gun was used in the burglary.
The cops sealed the shop and an ambulance took Mr Ajit to Waikato Hospital to check for injuries and internal bleeding. Mr Ajit’s son, who is the president of the Motel Association of Waikato, was away for a function that evening.
The news of assault spread quickly to the community and the people living in that area.
“There has been immense support from the community. People have been sending their kind messages and flowers ever since,” added Mr Ajit.
79-year-old Ajit, who hails from Punjab, lives with his three sons and seven grandchildren in the house he built alongside the Ulster Street Motel. The incident has not only cost an estimated $1,000 in cash but also traumatised the whole family tosuch an extent that they have decided to shut shop.
Mr Ajit is a highly respected individual and well known in the community for his down to earth nature. He is also a Justice of Peace.
“The robbery was a big blow to me and my family since such an incident has never happened in my 30 years of residing in this area. Every time I think about the attack, it brings back the horror from that evening,” said Mr. Ajit.
Ajit Singh Sagoo, owner of the Ulster Street Dairy Shop, celebrated the store’s 30th anniversary in January this year, but fate took a drastic turn after a recent robbery prompted the family to shut the dairy and put it up for lease.
In 1985, Ajit Singh Sagoo—one of the first few diary shop...
Ajit Singh Sagoo, owner of the Ulster Street Dairy Shop, celebrated the store’s 30th anniversary in January this year, but fate took a drastic turn after a recent robbery prompted the family to shut the dairy and put it up for lease.
In 1985, Ajit Singh Sagoo—one of the first few diary shop owners during the time—started the Ulster Street Dairy in Hamilton. He migrated from England to Hamilton in 1975 with his family and worked as a professor of Physics, Applied Mathematics and Calculus at the Fairfield College. 10 years later, he established the first dairy shop of Hamilton.
On Friday, 11 April, around 7.30 pm, Mr Ajit was at his shop when a masked man stormed into the store, pointed a gun to his head and demanded for money from the counter. After initial resistance, the man assaulted Mr Ajit, who sustained chest and neck injuriesand had his jaws dislocated.
“He hurt my neck and when the man pushed me, I hurt the back of my head. His fist punch left a sore on my chest, which is less painful now, and the right side of my face is still a little swollen,” said Mr Ajit.
After pushing Mr Ajit into the shelves behind him, the burglar snatched all the cash from the drawer, broke the glass panes of the store and ran towards the school behind the store. Mr Ajit ran towards the gate and called the police. As the offender’s face was covered with a balaclava, the police have not been able to identify the man even after extensively going through the CCTV footage from the store. The footage has revealed that a fake gun was used in the burglary.
The cops sealed the shop and an ambulance took Mr Ajit to Waikato Hospital to check for injuries and internal bleeding. Mr Ajit’s son, who is the president of the Motel Association of Waikato, was away for a function that evening.
The news of assault spread quickly to the community and the people living in that area.
“There has been immense support from the community. People have been sending their kind messages and flowers ever since,” added Mr Ajit.
79-year-old Ajit, who hails from Punjab, lives with his three sons and seven grandchildren in the house he built alongside the Ulster Street Motel. The incident has not only cost an estimated $1,000 in cash but also traumatised the whole family tosuch an extent that they have decided to shut shop.
Mr Ajit is a highly respected individual and well known in the community for his down to earth nature. He is also a Justice of Peace.
“The robbery was a big blow to me and my family since such an incident has never happened in my 30 years of residing in this area. Every time I think about the attack, it brings back the horror from that evening,” said Mr. Ajit.
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