Attitude for Men to re-open after Darwin CBD ram raid

A business owner has shared her story after becoming the victim of a senseless ram raid. Read how much it will cost to repair the damage.

The cost to replace toughened 15mm glass panels smashed during a ram raid at a Darwin fashion boutique early Monday morning could climb to as much as $50,000.

The catastrophic attack took place at one of Darwin’s best-known stores, Attitude for Men and its sister business The Dress Code, at 2.20am on Monday.

Owner Darlene Chin spent millions designing and building the outlet on Knuckey Street with a spectacular glass facade that became a landmark CBD building.

And it will take more than a couple of idiots in a stolen car to shatter her spirit.

The store will re-open first thing Tuesday morning and the smashed panels will eventually be replaced.

“Darwin deserves to have beautiful shops,” Ms Chin said. “We can’t just shutter and board everything.

Attitude for Men and The Dress Code on Knuckey Street after a ram raid, May 1, 2023.

“I wasn’t going to talk about it to the media because I didn’t want to publicise the crime but at the same time we can’t pretend it didn’t happen.

“It takes a toll, not just on me, but everybody who has had this happen because it just compounds. It keeps building on people and there doesn’t seem to be any relief in sight.”

Mary Linnell from Easy Glass Services and her team arrived at the crime scene long before dawn and took hours to sweep up glass shards that filled five garbage bins.

She estimated the replacement cost of the smashed panels will be upwards of $50,000 and that it could be six weeks before they’re refitted.

Damage at Attitude for Men following a ram raid.

“I’ve been in glass and glazing for 20 years and this type of crime comes and goes,” Ms Linnell said. “These aren’t just today’s problems but that doesn’t make it easier for the victims.”

Police say two people have been charged in relation to the incident.

Meanwhile, the NT News has obtained the results of a study which show up to 80 per cent of CBD crime and anti-social behaviour are not reported to the police.

Compiled by Darwin City Retailers Association, the study is a snapshot of crime data collected over four weeks between February 24 and March 23 and identified 139 types of incidents on 56 separate instances.

A note accompanying the survey said it is intended to deliver “practical, preventive measures put in place so that the frequency and number of these incidents are reduced”.

Easy Glass Services owner Mary Linnell and glazier Cameron Di Campi.

“The data collection is additional to data previously captures and shared with DITT in August 2022, to highlight what’s happening in our CBD on a daily basis.”

The survey identified 22 incidents of stealing, 18 of fighting and property damage, 17 cases of harassment and bagging, 16 incidents of verbal abuse and 14 of public consumption of alcohol.

Asked to answer whether they had reported crime, 80 per cent of retailers said they had not reported crime to police and 77 per cent said they had not contacted Territory Protective Services.

“We have asked several times what our retailers can do when faced with a violent, aggressive or threatening individual in or outside of their shop,” the note accompanying the survey said.

“We still don’t have a clear answer other than ‘do not engage – call for help’ (although this) is not always available or timely.

“Some of those that have attempted to defend their business have found themselves either injured or have suffered damage to their shop.”