Palmerston crime: Good Times bar broken into twice in two days

“There’s only so many roller doors and only so many steel bars that we can put on”: After two breaks-ins as many days, a Top End bar owner said he felt the need to apologise to his staff.

Palmerston's Good Times bar owner Jason Hanna

Jason Hanna and his staff are hurting after their Top End business was broken into twice in two days.

Less than 24 hours after Palmerston’s Good Times bar and grill was broken into, it was once again targeted for “just a couple of bottles” on Wednesday night.

Owner Jason Hanna said the amount of crime in the area had taken a toll on his staff.

“I’m starting to feel the cracks, just in the people that work here or work in the other venues, where they’re starting to wonder what are they doing in this town, or what are they doing working here,” he said.

“Or (where would be) a safer place to work, or am I going to get broken into tonight, or this morning when I come to work.”

Mr Hanna said his thoughts were with his workers.

Jason Hanna speaks to media after the break-ins. Picture: Harry Brill.

“I’d like to say personally (that) I apologise to my staff for having to put up with this kind of crap,” he said.

“And I wish we could do more – there’s only so many roller doors and only so many steel bars that we can put on but we still have to turn up every time the place gets broken into.”

Mr Hanna called said a new solution was needed to tackle the area’s crime problem.

“Leadership is about finding solutions to every problem (and) as a business owner and as a leader within your business, there is a solution to every problem,” he said.

“Whatever (the government) have been doing is not working – so stop doing that and do something else.”

As a proud Territorian, Mr Hanna said he felt a “duty of care” to tell people interstate how it really was in the Top End.

“The economy’s pretty much shot to s--t, and this crime epidemic is only getting worse – people aren’t feeling safe,” he said.

CLP Candidate for Drysdale Clinton Howe said crime was “destroying lives” in the electorate.

“In Driver, I have a pregnant mother who had a knife put to her stomach when she was eight months pregnant,” he said.

“In Gray, I have domestic violence and women who report to (emergency services) and police are super busy.”