Teen gang leaves $12k shop bill

A GANG of teens smashed windows at two businesses and stole a bottle of whiskey from a supermarket during a $12,000 crime-spree in Darwin’s northern suburbs

A GANG of teens smashed windows at two businesses and stole a bottle of whiskey from a supermarket during a $12,000 crime-spree in Darwin’s northern suburbs.

Up to 10 youths were captured in the act on CCTV, with one throwing a rock through a window at Moil Supermarket.

The youth then jumped onto an ice box and climbed into the shop, with two of his alleged accomplices following his lead.

The youths also smashed a window at Pink Apple Hair.

Police and dog squad arrived and tracked and arrested five of the teens in the park behind the shops.

Both shop owners spent yesterday morning cleaning up the shattered glass but opened for business as usual.

Moil Supermarket owner Naveen Vukanti estimated the window damage would cost him $4000 and damage to cash register was worth $1000.

He was woken by a call from security alerting him the business he owns with his brother had been broken into.

He said police arrived within minutes and found the teens only metres from his supermarket.

“I saw the window was broken so I thought they must not had entered inside. I went to the corner and I saw the hairdresser had their window broken.

“But when I came into the shop I saw some lollies on the ground I realised they did get in.”

Mr Vukanti said the damage bill and time spent cleaning up and arranging for repairs was a costly exercise for small business owners.

He called for tougher penalties and for the alleged criminals to repay the damage to the business owner.

Pink Apple Hair owner Shana Miller said she had owned the business for two years, but this was the first time vandals had targeted her store. “I guess I was annoyed. They did get in and there was broken glass all over,” she said.

“As a sole trader and as a parent and a family of four, we are about to get married, it’s very annoying.”

Detective Senior Sergeant Rob Jordan said a phone call to police allowed a swift response.