Crime forcing us out of business: dairy owners
Striking dairy owners say running a convenience store is almost no longer viable, and increasing crime is making them think twice about continuing in business.
Even with all the security measures and latest crime-deterrent technology, young people continued to participate in retail crime – and whether your shop was hit or not seemed increasingly to be a case of pot luck, said Auckland dairy owner Jit Patel.
The issue of small shops being targeted by criminals has been highlighted by the death of dairy worker Janak Patel.
Jit Patel’s inner-city Auckland convenience store, Three Lamps Food Mart, was broken into in the early hours in March. Police attended the scene, he was given a case number and asked if he would like to be added to the list of dairies to potentially receive funding for a fog cannon.
He had heard nothing since March and assumed he had been bumped down the priority list. A small shop with a small turnover, he said he could not afford to foot the bill for the latest advances himself.
‘‘Even if I have a panic button, what does it do? These [criminals] are in the shop for a maximum of one minute or two minutes . . . by the time you ring the police they are gone,’’ Patel said.
He said he did not believe it was worth the investment.
Patel said he had considered having grills and cabinets installed to keep him safe and the back of the shop from being able to be accessed, but could not afford it even if he wanted it. It would make interaction with customers ‘‘awkward’’ and he did not want to feel like he was working behind a cage.
Patel, who runs the shop with his wife, felt there was no light at the end of the tunnel. ‘‘Personally, I think now if two of you [in a family] have a job you are better off there.’’
One Auckland dairy owner, who asked to remain anonymous, said increasing crime and ramraids meant he now often woke in the middle of the night to check CCTV footage out of fear his shop would be next to be hit.
The man, who had owned his shop for eight months, said criminals did not care about security systems, and he would regularly catch people shoplifting chocolates and other goods despite security cameras being in plain sight.
Harder punishment for criminals was the only way to deter crime, he said: ‘‘We have to educate our people not to do crime.’’
David Zhang, owner of one of two Ponsonby Rd superette stores, has CCTV coverage, security alarms and panic buttons, but not enough security to feel safe going to work. He said the thought of rising crime and criminals targeting dairies was ‘‘scary’’.
Zhang said running a dairy had become ‘‘really hard’’, working long hours just to cover costs. ‘‘Before Covid it was just OK, but after Covid it is hard,’’ Zhang, who runs the shop with his wife, said.
In recent months he had noticed a steep pull-back in spending. His own costs had increased, and he was only just covering expenses. ‘‘We’re working hard together to feed our family and serve the community.’’
‘‘Even if I have a panic button, what does it do?’’ Jit Patel Dairy owner