‘The government needs to find answers’: Businesses ‘under siege’ as break-ins continue to soar

ANGRY pub and restaurant owners are calling on the NT government to clamp down on crime after a spate of break-ins across Darwin saw thousands of dollars worth of items stolen

ANGRY pub and restaurant owners are calling on the NT government to clamp down on crime after a spate of break-ins saw more than $10,000 worth of booze and cigarettes stolen in one night.

Four local venues — Outback Steaks and Curry, Char Restaurant, Good Times Bar and Grill and Berry Springs Tavern — were all targeted by thieves within a few hours on Monday night.

Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce said businesses were already struggling due to COVID-19 and rising crime was making things even worse.

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“The government needs to find answers,” he said.

Police Minister Nicole Manison said the break-ins were “unacceptable” and the government would do what they could to support them.

Berry Springs Tavern owner Ian Sloan said thieves used a wheelie bin to get away with about $10,000 worth of booze and cigarettes from his pub’s bottle shop.

Mr Sloan said CCTV footage captured four men using a pallet jack to force open their roller door at about 1am on Tuesday.

“It’s been a tough year due to the virus and for this to happen is just gut wrenching,” he said.

“They emptied out about three draws of cigarettes.

CCTV footage captured thieves filling a wheelie bin full of booze during a recent break in at the Berry Springs Tavern.

“Then they took out one of our recycle bins and filled it with as much booze and cigarettes as they could carry.”

Pub manager Liz Lamb said the damage caused during the raid would cost about $5000-$6000 to fix.

The offenders have yet to be apprehended, and police are still investigating.

Berry Springs Tavern manager Liz Lamb holding one of the empty cigarette draws that was raided on Tuesday. Picture: Che Chorley

The owners of Outback Steaks and Curry are also doing it tough after being broken into twice in a matter of days.

The restaurant was allegedly broken into by two men, aged 39 and 46, at about 11pm on Monday.

Co-owner Deepak Sharma said CCTV showed the alleged offenders using a street signpost to smash through glass and pry open a security grill to gain entry and steal six bottles of wine.

He said police later located the alleged offenders drinking nearby.

Outback Steaks & Curry has been hit again by thieves, the second break-in in a matter of days. Co-owner Deepak Sharma stands with the street sign the perpetrators used to smash the windows. Picture: Che Chorley

Police also were called to an unlawful entry at the Char Restaurant about the same time and are investigating whether the two incidents are linked.

Char manager Elle Kearns said it was sad they had spent the day of their grand reopening replacing broken glass panels from the break-in.

“Your heart just sinks — every day now I’m going to go to sleep thinking: Will I get called again tonight?” she said.

In Palmerston, Good Times Bar and Grill was broken into for the fourth time this year.

Manager Lisa-Marie Davies said CCTV footage showed three youths took about nine bottles of booze at 1am yesterday.

Good Times Bar and Grill in Palmerston has once again been broken into, the fourth time this year. The thieves stole alcohol after gaining access through the back door. Good Times Bar and Grill manager Lisa-Marie Davies is fed up. Picture: Che Chorley

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Chamber of Commerce chief executive Greg Ireland said while things were bad in Darwin, he described the crime problem in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek as “being under siege”.

“We urge the government to do everything that they can. We can only ask that they expedite what they are doing to help Territorians impacted by crime and anti-social behaviour,” he said.