Owner of liquor store hit by ram raid had been begging for bollards

By RNZ

The owner of a liquor store in Island Bay has been begging Wellington City Council to put bollards outside his shop after it was struck by ram raiders.

The Thirsty Liquor store was first ram-raided back in July and was targeted again at 4.15am on Wednesday.

The store’s owner, Chetan Rattan, told Morning Report he had asked the council for permission to install bollards at the front of his business following the first ram raid but he was yet to hear back.

“They start forwarding my emails to the different departments.”

Despite sending several additional emails to the council since that first contact, there had been no progress, he added.

Rattan said he had also contacted the police but the issue of having bollards installed was “a council thing”.

After Rattan was interviewed by RNZ, the Wellington City Council got in touch with him to apologise for not engaging with him over his concerns.

In addition to the two recent ram raids, his business had been burgled once within the past four months, he said.

On another occasion, a neighbour of his store had scared off would-be ram raiders.

“He comes with a shovel and tried to scare the robbers off from the shop and ... he is successful,” said Rattan, who lives 30 minutes away from his business.

If the neighbour hadn’t intervened, the damage to the store may have been more, he said.

“So ... big thanks to him.”

Mounting costs

Rattan said his store was insured but premium costs kept rising.

“It is gone really too high.”

He estimated the total losses across the three hits on his business - which included the cost of installing a new door following the first ram raid - had topped $50,000.

Thirsty Liquor Island Bay owner Chetan Rattan outside his business after it was hit by ram raiders in July. Photo / RNZ / Lauren Crimp

In the absence of council approval to install bollards, he said he planned to add a roller door to his business premises next week, which he hoped might stop the ram raids.

“That is all I can do, actually.”

Call for tougher penalties

Ram raids were an issue “around the country”, Rattan said, and he believed many were carried out by minors.

“If there is a tough law for the minors as well, that’s probably fixing this issue.

“If they didn’t get a punishment and they will continue doing it.”

He believed all of those involved in the most-recent ram raid on his business had been apprehended and said he thought they were all minors.

Council looking at options for Island Bay retailers

Over the past few weeks council staff have been looking at what could be done in Island Bay to deter ram raiders, spokesman Richard MacLean said.

“We have been in touch with Mr Rattan today and apologised for not properly communicating with him over his concerns.”

The situation was complex as the council had to consider all footpath users, including those with low vision or other accessibility needs, MacLean said.

It also had to determine if other measures might be needed before bollards could be installed, such as moving underground services.

“Staff will be in touch with Mr Rattan to discuss his options as soon as practicably possible.”

- RNZ