MELBOURNE: A dairy shop in New Zealand owned by an Indian-origin businessman was attacked by robbers who stole cigarettes and cash, the latest incident against businesses owned by community members in the country, according to media reports.
On Monday, burglars entered a dairy store owned by Uresh Patel in Kaurilands, a suburb in western Auckland, and ripped the counter and stole cigarettes, according to The New Zealand Herald newspaper.
“Three kids came in and one jumped over the counter. Two others came from the other side and grabbed the cash register,” Patel was quoted as saying in The Herald.
“I heard my wife and daughter screaming. I rushed outside and tried to catch one of them, but he attacked me and fled,” he said.
According to the police, two of the culprits were arrested and another was held at a store by the public.
The incident comes more than two months after two dairy shops owned by businessmen of Indian descent were also attacked by armed robbers.
Monday’s attack comes at a time when New Zealand has been witnessing a surge in cases of violence and crime against small business owners, among which Indian-origin businesses have been the primary target.
In December last year, Ajit Patel, who owns a dairy on Melrose Road in Auckland said five masked men with baseball bats barged into his store and attacked him.
In another attack that month, a group of people ram-raided Sandra Dairy on Marua Road in Ellerslie and stole several items before fleeing in a second vehicle, said a police spokesperson.
Last month, a 34-year-old Indian-origin dairy shop worker, Janak Patel was murdered in Sandringham following which the country erupted in protests.
Following the murder, the New Zealand government announced new measures to combat retail crime — including a fog cannon subsidy scheme open to all small shops and dairies.
On Monday, burglars entered a dairy store owned by Uresh Patel in Kaurilands, a suburb in western Auckland, and ripped the counter and stole cigarettes, according to The New Zealand Herald newspaper.
“Three kids came in and one jumped over the counter. Two others came from the other side and grabbed the cash register,” Patel was quoted as saying in The Herald.
“I heard my wife and daughter screaming. I rushed outside and tried to catch one of them, but he attacked me and fled,” he said.
According to the police, two of the culprits were arrested and another was held at a store by the public.
The incident comes more than two months after two dairy shops owned by businessmen of Indian descent were also attacked by armed robbers.
Monday’s attack comes at a time when New Zealand has been witnessing a surge in cases of violence and crime against small business owners, among which Indian-origin businesses have been the primary target.
In December last year, Ajit Patel, who owns a dairy on Melrose Road in Auckland said five masked men with baseball bats barged into his store and attacked him.
In another attack that month, a group of people ram-raided Sandra Dairy on Marua Road in Ellerslie and stole several items before fleeing in a second vehicle, said a police spokesperson.
Last month, a 34-year-old Indian-origin dairy shop worker, Janak Patel was murdered in Sandringham following which the country erupted in protests.
Following the murder, the New Zealand government announced new measures to combat retail crime — including a fog cannon subsidy scheme open to all small shops and dairies.