Nightcliff 5 Star Supermarket says crime rates have changed dramatically in the last six months

A Top End supermarket manager says the rate of certain illegal behaviours in his neighbourhood are changing. Have your say in our exclusive crime poll.

After a “decade” of persistent loitering and violence, a Nightcliff shop manager says there has been “big change” in the area and crime has “really backed down”.

Nightcliff 5 Star Supermarket manager Ben Feick said the shopping hub of the northern suburbs was entering an era of “change”.

“Nightcliff itself has improved a lot, over the last six months we’ve seen a big change in the itinerants and trouble in the area, it’s really backed down,” Mr Feick said.

“We’ve been through stages here, it was a daily occurrence for us; now it’s just a lot better, everyone’s happier, it makes a better workplace and makes the customers happier.”

Nightcliff 5 Star Supermarket manager Ben Feick says no one wants to deal with violence and abuse everyday. Picture: Floss Adams.

Mr Feick said the shop had experienced turbulent times of crime, violence and abuse over the 27 years his family has owned it.

“In the troubled times, the biggest feedback we got from people in the public was that they were afraid to come here,” he said.

“We feel very lucky in the fact that we don’t have to deal with the same problems everyday, not only the effect it has on the business but the effect it has on us personally.”

However, on Wednesday afternoon a man attempted to steal several bottles of alcohol.

When a staff member and customer tried to intervene, the employee was punched and slapped in the face, police said.

Mr Feick described Wednesday’s incident a “one off” in recent times.

“We haven’t had anything like this for a good period of time now, it was just a person that took things the wrong way; tried to steal, got caught, under confrontation he’s decided to lash out and attack one of my staff,” he said.

NT Police has been contacted for comment.