Tung Wo Chadstone: Dodgy diners, beggars, shoplifting lead to calls for police action on Warrigal Rd

Fed-up traders along a Chadstone shopping strip are under siege from beggars, shoplifters and ‘eat and run’ scumbags, and are calling for urgent police help.

Tang Wo manager Karl Lee says diners scamming meals from his restaurant, and people begging for money out the front. Picture: Kiel Egging.

Beggars, shoplifters and one of a restaurateurs biggest nightmares — the ‘eat and run’ lowlifes — are rife at n eastern suburbs shopping strip.

Karl Lee, who manages Tung Wo on Warrigal Rd, Chadstone said the restaurant was often ripped-off by people who would dine in and leave without paying for their meal.

“Sometimes they come and order food, then said they didn’t have money and walked off,” he said.

“If the same people come in, we tell them we can’t serve them,” Mr Lee said.

Mr Lee said he had also seen beggars outside the shop asking for money.

Chaddy Mart manager Sheng Dai said he’d been caught out by visitors who had scammed free meals at nearby restaurants on the strip, then tried to take items from his convenience store.

“They come in store, steal something from here and not pay when they go out,” Mr Dai said.

“I tried to call the police but usually they come here, take photos and tell me to call them if it happens again.

“I never call them again because I know there will be no solution.”

Mr Dai called for increased police patrols on the strip to deter anti-social behaviour.

Another trader, who did not wish to be identified, claimed customers stole items from their business on a weekly to fortnightly basis, and also called for more police action.

The trader claimed its staff often copped abuse from “people on drugs”.

The busy strip is close to Holmesglen Tafe and Holmesglen railway station.

It is also next to the Batesford Rd intersection which has high pedestrian usage and one of Melbourne’s most profitable speed cameras.

Oakleigh Police and Holmesglen Tafe were contacted for comment.