Dairy owners bar up for safety

Auckland dairy owners are taking measures to “save their lives” following a string of vicious dairy robberies across the city.

The owner of a dairy on Sandringham Rd paid $6500 to have bars put up around his counter last week.

Sandringham Superette owner, Manjit Singh, made the decision after several thefts in the area, including one at a liquor store, approximately 200m from his dairy, where a worker was stabbed last week.

Mr Singh said the bars are not customer friendly but all dairy owners should consider adding them because they could “save their lives”.

“If you ring the cops these days they say, ‘we are too busy, we’ve got no staff, we can’t make it’.

“They say you have to do whatever you can do for your own safety.”

Sandringham Superette has metal bollards at the shop entrance. Photo: Ophelia Buckleton

Te Waha Nui understands several other Auckland dairies have also put bars around their counters, including Mojo’s Superette in Mangere Bridge and McKenzie Road Superette in Mangere.

A shopkeeper at Hillary Dairy in Mt Albert, Barry Wang, also said the previous owners put an aluminum barrier around the counter for security purposes.

Wrigley products sales representative Stephanie Chiplin has a customer base of 670 stores across Auckland, many of which are dairies.

Ms Chiplin said she had noticed more and more dairies putting up bars to protect their staff.

“In the last two days, this [Sandringham Superette] is the second store that I’ve been to that has put up bars in the last month.

“It is getting out of hand. Owners are scared, but at the end of the day they still have to make a dollar so they will take measures like this if they can afford to.”

Ms Chiplin said some dairies have raised their counters, so if someone tries to climb over they have to jump.

A number of Auckland dairy owners are recovering from aggravated robberies, including the owner of Rose Cottage Superette in Sandringham who was held up with a shotgun during an invasion last month.

Hari Superette in Papatoetoe was also raided in April during which the shopkeeper was beaten with a hammer.

Mr Singh said stores without security measures such as bars are easier targets for thieves.

However, Calgary Superette owner Nathan Kanthi said putting up bars could have an adverse affect.

“There are certain people who will still find a way to get through [the bars].”

Mr Kanthi said they included those who want cigarettes from behind the counter.

Dairy owners are now calling for tougher punishment for offenders to deter further incidences.

A police spokesperson said via email they were not available for comment on the matter due to a large volume of media requests.