Aitkenvale Red Rooster staff too scared to return as armed youths reign terror

A frustrated fast food franchisee in Townsville says she’s lost staff who are ‘too terrified’ to come back to work after they were repeatedly robbed by youths armed with weapons. Watch the video.

A frustrated fast food franchisee in Townsville says she’s lost staff who are ‘too terrified’ to come back to work after they were repeatedly robbed by youths armed with weapons.

Aitkenvale’s Red Rooster franchisee Kylie Johnson said she’s had to have regular talks with her staff about how to deal with robbers as they continue to be relentlessly targeted.

The outlet was robbed by two boys — aged 13 and 16 — who used a machete and hammer to threaten staff as they demanded cash from the till on June 3.

A few weeks later, they were hit again when a boy wearing a mask held a large knife up at staff members during another terrifying robbery on July 29.

Ms Johnson said the first incident pushed her to scale back their operations and only serve customers through the drive-through at night time in a bid to keep her staff safe.

“The second time we were hit, they came in as bold as brass in the middle of the day. They waltzed in here again armed with a knife,” she said.

“They held up a 16-year-old. They were terrified.

Red Rooster Aitkenvale franchisee Kylie Johnson says she’s losing staff due to ongoing crime. Picture: Natasha Emeck

“My staff member from the first robbery came back to work, incredibly brave, fronted back in here again, but she told me after the second time ‘sorry, but I can’t do it anymore’.

“I can’t guarantee their safety. Something has to change.”

A young thief armed with a knife was caught on CCTV during an armed robbery at the Red Rooster in Aitkenvale on July 29.

It comes after the KFC in Kirwan went cashless following a recent robbery, but Ms Johnson said that option just wasn’t feasible for her, and it made up about 15 per cent of their sales.

“I understand why they made the decision, but business is tough as it is,” she said.

“It’s just not reasonable.”

Two armed youths armed robbed the Red Rooster in Aitkenvale on June 3.

Opposition leader David Crisafulli said Queensland was now dealing with a “generation of young untouchables who know their rights outweigh the rights of the victim.”

“Weak laws and fewer police, that is the cocktail that has created the Queensland youth crime crisis, and businesses like Kylie’s are living it every day,” he said.

Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli at Red Rooster Aitkenvale. Picture: Natasha Emeck

Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper responded to Mr Crisafulli’s statement, claiming he was “all spin and no substance” regarding youth crime.

“It’s absolute hypocrisy that he’s up here pretending to give a damn about youth crime when only days ago he stood with the Greens in parliament to oppose youth justice amendments to keep juvenile offenders in custody,” he said.

Under the law changes a place like a police watch house or adult prison could be declared a youth detention centre even if it does not comply with human rights law.

Originally published as Aitkenvale Red Rooster staff too scared to return as armed youths reign terror