The owner of 168 Asian Food Bar and Cafe in the Katherine shopping centre has been left feeling worried and unsafe after his business was broken into last night.
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Katherine Police are today investigating four unlawful entries which t allegedly occurred over the weekend, a NT Police spokeswoman said.
“A window of a cafe was broken to allow the offenders entry and a quantity of money was reported stolen,” she said.
“Investigations are ongoing.”
We have always felt unsafe in this town, but now we feel it even more
- Ricky Gov
168 Asian Food Bar and Cafe business owner Ricky Gov believes the break and enter could be related to the recent spate of robberies that have put the town on edge.
This is the third weekend in under a month which has seen multiple businesses in Katherine suffer from smash and grab break-ins.
“We’ve had our home broken into and now our shop,” Mr Gov said.
“I am pretty sure other business owners are sick of these crimes, it is hard enough to run a business and now we have to deal with this,” he said.
Read More: Crime rates take a U-turn
Police were called to the scene early this morning to carry out forensic investigations into the raid and sweep for fingerprints.
Mr Gov said the vandals broke in through the back door.
“They forced their way into the till with a knife and stole $1500 and then they went through to the cafe and did the same thing, they took another $500 plus some lolly jars and the tip jar,” Mr Gov said.
“When we came in this morning we were just disgusted,” he said.
“We have always felt unsafe in this town, but now we feel it even more.”
Following the first spate of break-ins, Katherine Police made three quick arrests – two 16-year-old males and a 13-year-old male.
More arrests were made, after Katherine’s industrial area in Katherine East was the target of raids and vandalism, this time a 15-year-old male and a 17-year-old male.
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