Katherine tradie offers teen who broke into his business a job

The longtime Territorian said he’d welcome the teen onto his small team of two apprentices, four tradies and an office manager. Find out why he made the generous offer.

A Katherine cabinet-maker has extended an olive branch to the teenager who broke into his business last weekend — by offering him a job.

Custom Cabinets Katherine owner Jeff Usher posted the job offer on social media as well as a description of the impact the break-in had on the business.

A Katherine resident for 27-years after his car broke down during an around Australia trip, Mr Usher said the current approach to juvenile crime wasn’t delivering results and he’d welcome the teen onto his small team of two apprentices, four tradies and an office manager.

Custom Cabinets Katherine owner Jeff Usher.

“I’m not trying to save the world, I just reckon some of these kids need to be built up, not a kicking,” he said.

In his social media post, Mr Usher implored the juveniles who broke into his Katherine workshop to have a conversation about alternatives to senselessly breaking the law.

Jeff Usher‘s Facebook post from early Thursday morning.

“Surely we could work out a training agreement with the hope of long term employment and breaking the mould of possible future incarceration,” he wrote.

Mr Usher said accepting a job at Custom Cabinets Katherine would benefit both parties.

“The crime impacted our business a bit but I don’t think that behaviour’s going to go anywhere,” he said.

“He’ll end up in jail, crime’s a slippery slope and a hard habit to break I think.

“The community here is amazing. A lot of people like myself want to help because being angry and upset is a wasted emotion.”