CRIMS HIT SHOP SIX TIMES IN YEAR
SAMI Kingsley cleans up after her Heatley takeaway business was hit by thieves. It was the second time in less than a week the shop has been targeted by criminals and the sixth time this year.
SAMI and Max Kingsley, owners of Sami’s Place Takeaway, are fed up.
Their Heatley store was broken into for the second time in almost as many days on Monday night, with thieves stealing a fundraising tip jar, the Lions Club Melbourne Cup raffle collections and some drinks.
The earlier break- in, late last week, added to the toll of six break- ins and smashed windows at the shop this year.
“It’s tough for all small businesses,” Mrs Kingsley said.
“It’s a $ 250 excess every time we make a claim on glass, so that’s $ 500 this week, and because it was such a quiet weekend with the grand finals and the Cowboys coming back, we’re stuffed.”
Two previous break- ins at the store in July were just 24 hours apart, one of which saw intruders set off a fire extinguisher, costing the business hundreds of dollars in disposing of contaminated food and hours worth of cleaning up.
“We can’t afford to stay closed,” Mrs Kingsley said.
“We work 12 hours a day, six and a half days a week.”
Police have reviewed CCTV footage from the latest break- in but were unable to identify faces due to the low- resolution images.
Inspector Leonie Steyger said the footage would be forwarded to relevant parties.
“We’ve also got two footprints in question that we’ve taken which were on the counter at the store,” Insp Steyger said.
Police have no suspects at this stage.
Thirteen homes and five cars were broken into on Monday night.
Mrs Kingsley said while police had been sympathetic, their powers were limited.
“Their hands are tied and they’re overworked,” she said.
“There’s so many investigations going on that people get lost in the system.”
The Kingsleys are frustrated, feel- ing that Townsville City Council and the State Government are downplaying crime in the region.
“They keep mentioning reoffenders,” Mr Kingsley said.
“At what stage does that list of offences against someone’s name class them as habitual criminals and they can’t be rehabilitated?
“Nothing’s going to change until this council is changed, because they’re not putting anywhere near enough pressure on the State Government, and the State Government has to go too.”
“There’s an election coming up, and the people of Townsville want to think long and hard about who they vote for.”