Kirby’s Katherine Hotel: Owner Cas Harney expects insurance sting in the tail after latest break-in

A Katherine pub owner who was woken at 3.45am to be told booze bandits had forced her door and emptied the shelves says she won’t know the true cost to her business until the next time her insurance is renewed.

Cas and Rob Harney, owners of Kirby's Katherine Hotel. Picture: Facebook

A Katherine pub owner who was woken at 3.45am Thursday to be told booze bandits and forced her door and emptied the shelves and fridges says she won’t know the true cost to her business until the next time her insurance is renewed.

In a statement, NT Police said just after 3am, CCTV operators in the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre at Knuckey Lagoon observed a group of six offenders leaving a business premises along Katherine Tce with alleged stolen property.

“Katherine general duties officers attended the location, confirming an unlawful entry and a large quantity of alcohol stolen,” police said.

“The offenders fled the scene prior to police arrival and investigations are continuing to identify all parties involved.”

Cas Harney, who has owned Kirby’s Katherine Hotel for the past 11 years alongside husband Rob, said she was “exhausted and frustrated” after the latest attack on her business.

“We’re pretty well secure here but they busted through the front door after a lot of persistent effort,” Ms Harney said.

Kirby's Katherine Hotel on Katherine Tce. Picture: Google Street View

“We’re just doing the final stocktake on [the loss] now, but at least 24 bottles of spirits are gone, as well as cans and RTDs [ready to drink] from the fridge.”

However, the true cost to her business would not be known until the next time her insurance is renegotiated.

“There’s a $1000 dollar excess now, but when you go to renew your insurance your premiums go up, so we’re not going to know until then,” Ms Harney said.

Ms Harney said that business owners receiving an early morning wake-up call to say they’ve been raided was “the new norm in the Territory”.

“It’s an issue and this government needs to step up and realise what they’re doing isn’t working before everyone leaves the NT,” she said.

“Die-hard Territorians that live and breathe the NT are making their extradition plans.”

Although it wouldn’t have prevented this morning’s break-and-enter, she attacked the Territory government for pulling police auxiliary liquor inspectors (PALIs) for the township.

“We were covered,” she said.

“Full coverage of bottle shops has worked for a very long time.

“Why change that?”

Seven PALIs were diverted from Alice Springs to Katherine in early April after a crime spree which saw a local teacher have a knife held to his throat and his car stolen, which was then used to ram raid R&M Motorcycles at Giles St.

Police say just two remain – however, “constables have also been tasked and are currently conducting bottle shop standbys during the opening hours”.