NEWS Crims get gun warning
A TAKEAWAY business owner is considering arming herself with a shotgun and sleeping in her shop after thieves tried to break into her cafe for the fifth time this year.
Lucia and Mario Vieira, who own the Chook Shed in Tipperary Waters, had spent almost $20,000 on repairs after previous break-ins when they arrived at their shop yesterday morning.
There they found the door smashed and the lock broken.
The attack was the second in just over a week and repairs are still being done for the previous break-in.
“I have to work hard so I can pay employees and pay everyone at the Government. I try to do everything right. And what do I get in the end? Nothing,” Mrs Vieira said.
“I don’t know what to do. I don’t know if I should just get a shotgun and sleep inside here.”
The couple, who own the popular takeaway business, said there needed to be tougher penalties in place for those who commit crimes.
“Last week, they broke in and all they took was a couple of drinks,” Mr Vieira said.
“They were sitting drinking them when the police showed up.”
The Chook Shed wasn’t the only business targeted in the small shopping strip – next door, the Bamboo Lounge was also attacked and about $3000 worth of alcohol was stolen.
“The Government needs to be doing more,” Mr Vieira said.
“They’re making drinks more expensive but that doesn’t stop them breaking into our business.
“What’s the point of us being in business just for someone to break in?
“You’ve got to give more power to the police to do something and the judge has got to do the right job.”
Mrs Vieira’s threat to stay armed in her shop comes after other business owners around Darwin vented their frustration at constant break-ins and thefts.
In June, Hanuman owner Jimmy Shu stayed in his business armed with knives to try to protect the shop. In the few hours he was gone, thieves broke in again.