Auckland business cleans up after nearly 2000 used tyres illegally dumped on doorstep

An Auckland business owner is having to pay more than $6000 after someone illegally dumped more than 1800 used tyres outside his store in the Auckland suburb of Ōnehunga overnight.

Farman Sediqi told the Herald everything was good when he left his business Super Cheap Tyres in Ōnehunga at 5pm and went home.

However, at 10pm, his neighbour across the road said someone had parked out the front of Sediqi’s store, got out and looked around before driving off.

At 11pm he suspected the same people who scoped out the store returned with four trucks and, in several trips, dumped 1874 tyres, blocking two doors.

He had no idea who it may have been because when the drivers reversed the truck, they purposely avoided the CCTV cameras.

“When they reversed, the number plate was facing the wall so I couldn’t see it.”

Sediqi said the whole day has now been taken up removing tyres.

Auckland Council told him they could not help because the tyres were on private property, meanwhile, the police said he needed to talk to the council.

Illegally dumped tyres at Super Cheap Tyres in Ōnehunga, May 15, 2024. Photo / supplied

“And then when I called council back, they said I needed to fill out a police report,” he said.

“There was no point in arguing between the two parties and now I have to call a company to remove all of the tyres.”

Sediqi said one tyre would cost $3.50 plus GST to remove, meaning the whole removal operation would cost $6559.

In spite of what is going on, he has still opened the store.

“We have six staff and since this morning we haven’t done any work because we have been waiting for the tyres to be removed. We have pushed some of the tyres aside so we could open at least two doors.

“Me and my staff haven’t even had a morning breakfast.”

The whole experience has shocked and frustrated Sediqi, particularly with Auckland Council and police.

“The first thing I did was to call Auckland Council. If you are maybe a property owner and you pay rates for the whole year, and when a hard time happens, they don’t help you.”