Lana Read was in the gloom of her bakery very early this morning when thieves came calling again.
One of The Sweetest Things’ windows was already boarded up from a smash and grab the day before.
“I thought surely it can’t be them again already and sure enough yes it was.”
It was 4.45am, Lana said when the first crash against the window came her “heart was racing”.
“There were no lights on, I can operate by the lights that are already on, I don’t think they knew I was there.”
She quickly called the police, and just as quickly they were there.
It appears the wannabe thieves have picked up another loose paver and thrown it at another intact window.
A thief or thieves used another paver early Sunday morning to break in and steal their empty till and a few other small items.
It was the Katherine Terrace’s shop’s second break-in in a month and Lana said the count on broken windows is somewhere beyond 12 in the past few years.
“I’m really angry about it, lots of people are angry about what’s going on.
“There has been a lot of discussion on social media about it.
”Who is finally going to stand up and say – enough is enough.”
Thirty-two years a local, Lana says youth crime, and yes she is totally convinced youth are responsible because of those rounded up after past break-ins, she says “Katherine is getting worse”.
“We have people leaving town because they are not safe in their own homes any more.
“People don’t want to stay here at Christmas when many people leave and crime rates always go up.”
Lana says she can no longer claim her broken windows, and things like her broken till, on insurance.
“The excess has just gone up and up every claim I make, I can’t use it (insurance) any more.”
On the other side of the street is Katherine Sports and Family Chiropractic Care – which also suffered a smashed window on the weekend.
“What do you do, bar all the windows,” asked the centre’s Phillip Jazyschyn.
“Then we are the one living behind bars and not them.”
Mr Jazyschyn said Katherine “has taken a dip again”.
“A lot of people believe the judicial system is a revolving door,” he said.
“There are people in this town who have no respect for other people’s property.”
Mr Jazyschyn and Mrs Read are both supportive of police efforts but would like to see a town-wide response to the rising crime rates, starting perhaps with a public meeting.
Police said they had received reports of two incidents at The Sweetest Thing.
“One was around 6.30 this morning for criminal damage where an item was thrown at a window causing damage,” a spokeswoman said.
“Another was for an unlawful entry around 8.30 yesterday morning where persons are alleged to have gained entry and stolen property. There have been no arrests at this stage and enquiries are continuing.”
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