Monica’s Cafe, The Harvest Press, Creative Jewellers, Warehouse 73 Emporium all broken into

Four Darwin CBD businesses had their shopfront glass smashed overnight apart of a senseless string of crime. SEE PICTURES.

“SEE that mark there”, pulling up the sleeve of her shirt, Dawn Sanders pointed to a small circular scar on her wrist.

It’s from 12 months ago, when a shoplifter extinguished his cigarette on her bare skin, after he was asked to leave her longtime Darwin CBD business, Warehouse 73 Emporium.

Ms Sanders is one of many small business owners who has been left with physical, financial and emotional scars from the relentless rate of crime in the Top End.

“I’m getting too old for this, I’m 75 you see,” Ms Sanders said.

The (pre-Cyclone Tracy) Darwin local woke up early Tuesday morning, to news from the police that her business of 30-years had its front window smashed by a fist-sized rock.

Pieces of glass lay on the shopfront shelves of Dawn Sanders longtime business Warehouse 73 Emporium. Picture: Floss Adams.

More than $300-worth of jewellery was left scattered upon the Cavenagh St footpath when she arrived at her battered shopfront and discovered two Hookahs (water pipes) valued over $400 were stolen.

The total damage bill is about $5000, including the missing stock.

Ms Sanders is one of four Darwin CBD business owners – who started their morning routine hours earlier – to start a lengthy clean-up process which took only seconds to create.

Nearby the targeted businesses, a parked car was found with its front windscreen smashed in on Knuckey St on Tuesday morning. Picture: Floss Adams.

Monica’s Cafe, The Harvest Press, Creative Jewellers, and the Warehouse 73 Emporium were all targeted in the space of two hours across the Darwin CBD, in the late hours of Monday night and into the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The Harvest Press owner Marian Flynn was told by a local glass company that it could take up to three months to replace her 75kg Toughened glass door.

“Everybody seems to be screaming from the rooftops about crime and nothing seems to be done about it,” Ms Flynn

“You have no idea how sad I feel about this.”

The Harvest Press has a temporary plywood door (pictured) on their shopfront while they may have to wait up to three months for its replacement. Picture: Floss Adams.

Three of the four business owners found a granite rock left among shattered glass outside their premises.

A granite rock was left among the glass of Creative Jewellers, The Harvest Press and Warehouse 73 Emporium. Picture: Floss Adams.

Creative Jewellers owner Simon Miles reviewed the CCTV footage and saw a group of youths smash his shopfront glass with a rock and inside, use a machete to smash open a cabinet containing jewellery.

Mr Miles estimated the incident would cost the small business “$10,000 plus” in damage. “It just sets us back which is frustrating because we’re working hard enough,” Mr Miles said.

Police urged anyone with information about the string of Darwin CBD crimes to come forward.

The incident remains under investigation with no charges laid as yet.

EARLIER, Tuesday 8am April 19: A STRING of crime in the Darwin CBD occurred where three businesses were senselessly broken into in the late hours of Monday night and into the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Broken glass was exchanged for jewellery, clothing and other items from the offenders who broke into a jewellers in Smith Street mall, The Harvest Press and Warehouse 73 Emporium.

Northern Watch Commander David Allan said the three businesses were all hit within a 80-minute period between Monday 11.50pm and Tuesday 12.40am.

No one in relation to the incidents has been arrested yet with “investigations are ongoing”.

“Police urge anyone with information, CCTV or dashcam footage from the CBD area at the time to make contact on 131 444,” Cmmr Allan said.

Shortly before the number of break-ins, two women threatened a 38-year-old man with an edged weapon in the Darwin CBD and stole his car.

After multiple attempts at pursuing the vehicle but terminated due to public safety, the vehicle was picked up by Police on Harrison Circuit in Woodroffe and the two women were arrested.

“The females remain in police custody assisting with inquiries,” Cmmr Allan said.

Originally published as Monica’s Cafe, The Harvest Press, Creative Jewellers, Warehouse 73 Emporium all broken into