Govt funds fog cannons for small businesses
Almost 500 small businesses, many of them dairies, have been selected for a government fund to help combat violent hold-ups.
And 390 of the businesses could be equipped with fog cannons after the Minister of Police decided to increase the Government subsidy that helps pay for protection.
Owners of a Hamilton dairy were recently forced to set off a fog cannon when three men armed with knives stormed their shop on July 18.
Police are still looking for the balaclavaclad trio, who stole cigarettes before fleeing in the haze. A fog cannon managed to completely foil robbers attempting to steal from Hamilton’s Tui Dairy, on Heaphy Terrace, on July 15.
Documents released under the Official Information Act show 296 dairies, superettes and independent petrol stations and liquor shops have applied for a slice of the fund for aggravated robberies since it was set up in June last year. The $1.8 million fund helps businesses pay for prevention devices, such as fog cannons.
Statistics show aggravated robberies of commercial premises have been on the rise since 2016, the police national manager of prevention, Superintendent Eric Tibbott, said in a statement.
‘‘This increase has caused significant concern amongst small business owners who felt unsafe and vulnerable to this violent crime. They were generally less financially able to take preventive action than larger retailers or chain businesses.’’
Since the initial fund was set up, the Minister of Police has extended the initiative, which could see fog cannons installed at 390 businesses nationwide.
Businesses were initially selected based on police data, but then the fund was opened to all. Those police deem ‘‘vulnerable’’ are prioritised according to how many times the store has been robbed or burgled in the past three years, and in the past month, and how many times police have responded to incidents within 100 metres of the store.
Each month, the top 5 per cent are selected and visited by police in the area, who see if owners want to participate. Businesses can then opt in or out. As of June this year, 489 businesses have been selected to participate in the fund. Some opted out, leaving 424.
Police declined to provide a list of the businesses selected, citing privacy. But a geographical breakdown shows 75 were in the Counties Manukau, 69 were in Waikato and 53 were in the Bay of Plenty. Another 49 were in Auckland City and 29 in Wellington.
There were 42 from the entire South Island.
So far, 247 businesses have been visited by police.
As of June, 129 businesses have installed fog cannons and another 22 were in the process of installing them.