Crime Spree Pain
Newcastle Herald
Tuesday July 22, 2008
PETTY theft, vandalism and shoplifting sprees are steadily driving small businesses in the Hunter broke, say owners.
Last year, there were 480 thefts from shops and another 1174 shop break-ins in Newcastle, the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research says.But shopkeepers say even relatively minor crimes can put them in the red through higher insurance premiums and lost profits.Debra Atkinson's combined milk bar and preschooler playroom, Firefly Forest, was robbed nine days after opening in January, leaving the business struggling to survive."We lost a week's worth of income and when you're on a tight budget and you're depending on that money to make your overheads and pay the bills, it's rough," she said."You're opening up a business with money out of your own pocket and then each week that you're not making money [and] you have kids to feed, you're really suffering."The Carrington business, operated by Ms Atkinson and her partner, Natasha, opened on January 5, but thieves quickly smashed in and made off with the takings, leaving the fledgling shop struggling for more than six weeks.Police investigating the break-in are following suggestions a group targeting new smaller businesses could be responsible.Hunter shop break-ins were down from 3739 at this time last year to 3404 in 2008, figures reveal, but Hunter Business Centre adviser Michelle McGinty said smaller operators were softer targets and struggled to bounce back."We strongly urge people to take out insurance straight away . . . it means you can sleep at night," she said.
© 2008 Newcastle Herald
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