Raiders’ rams a ‘brazen’ king-hit for businesses
Business owners in Hamilton and Cambridge are literally picking up the pieces following a slew of attempted and successful ramraids on Saturday night – but for at least one, it’s one raid too far.
Matt Roiall, the owner of Safari Sport in Hamilton’s Victoria St, got the call his business had been targeted at 3am. He was still there, standing guard, at midmorning.
Roiall said he was hoping it was the last time he would have to conduct such a vigil before he closed the business permanently.
‘‘We won’t be here next year. It’s just not worth it . . . It is the third time this has happened to us, and the costs are too great for us to recover from.’’
Roiall said while he realised the rate of ramraids and burglaries had not increased greatly, ‘‘the Government is just making it too easy for them’’.
‘‘There’s just not consequences for the criminals. If they get caught they don’t get any kind of punishment, and they are straight out [of court] and doing it all over again.’’
The hit on the family-run store was one of seven such burglaries and attempted burglaries that took place in Hamilton and Cambridge.
Among the other stores targeted were Noel Leeming in Cambridge, the Varda Academy barber shop in Anglesea St, Hamilton, and various others in Frankton, Chartwell and at The Base shopping centre.
Roiall said one of the burglars who targeted his business was spotted on CCTV footage shortly beforehand trying to kick in the back door.
‘‘He had headphones on and was talking into his phone. It was definitely an organised thing,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s not just the overnight burglaries – they come into the store all the time and try to take off with things. It’s happening all the time. It’s just brazen. If we
confront them we get abused.
‘‘There’s $6000 worth of damage here. It makes it impossible to be in business.’’ Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate has previously advocated to Police Minister Chris Hipkins for more support in the fight against crime. Her counterpart in Waipa, Susan O’Regan, said she was dismayed to hear of the latest ramraid in Cambridge.
‘‘I think it’s up to the mayors of our region to lobby the Government a bit harder ...’’