‘Everything’s destroyed’: Residents left to clean up after spate of Easter break-ins

A hair salon is one of the multiple properties that thieves targeted at the Easter long weekend.

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A PALMERSTON hair salon is one of the multiple properties that thieves targeted at the Easter long weekend.

Alia Hair owner Gaya Campman was left with a hefty $5000 damage bill on Easter Sunday after thieves broke into her Palmerston salon for the third time in six months.

NT Police are also investigating after six properties were broken into across Alice Springs on Saturday.

“I’m supposed to be spending Easter Sunday with my children, and this is what I wake up to,” Ms Campman said.

“Got a phone call from the police that the salon’s been broken into again – the third time in six months.”

Ms Campman said this time, the thieves had smashed open a glass panel and turned over the store, stealing several items, including a dryer, clippers and scissors.

“Little businesses are making money … only to have everything destroyed,” she said.

“It’s got to make you re-evaluate whether if it’s worth actually being here. It’s exhausting.”

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Southern Watch Commander Andrew Dunnage said police also saw a spike in property crime across Alice Springs over Easter weekend.

Most of the break-ins cops responded to on Saturday happened on the East Side, with thieves targeting homes in Plumbago Crescent, Bougainvilia Ave and Kuhn Court.

“Almost all of the break-ins appear to involve alcohol either being stolen or has attempted to be stolen,” Cdr Dunnage said.

“Thieves took about four bottles of wine from one residence and more from others.

“Police will continue to investigate these break-ins, but no one has been charged at this stage.”

A resident in Gillen said he was also broken into about 1am on Sunday for the fifth time in just three weeks.

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A man was also reportedly taken to hospital after he was bashed and had his wallet stolen by a group of youths the same morning.

The glass doors at the Commonwealth Bank in Alice Springs were also smashed in by rock throwers on the weekend.

The latest NT Police crime statistics show that home break-ins have increased by almost 25 per cent year-onyear in Alice Springs alongside a 30 per cent spike in domestic violence-related assaults.

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