KEY POINTS:
More than half of Auckland dairy owners feel threatened and almost a third are stashing weapons under their counters for protection.
A Weekend Herald survey of 200 dairy owners has revealed some store owners have resorted to keeping cricket and baseball bats, hockey sticks and steel bars close to hand.
One man even admitted having an air rifle for protection.
The survey follows the attack on Avondale dairy owner Shashikant Prema, who was stabbed five times while working in his business, the New Windsor Dairy, eight days ago.
More than 170 store owners said they felt violent crime had become worse in recent years and almost two-thirds of those surveyed had been robbed - many of them repeatedly.
Like Mr Prema, 87 per cent were determined not to let criminals overtake their lives and were not thinking about selling.
Many store owners said selling was not an option because they were immigrants and their shops were their homes as well as their livelihoods. For many, there is little else they can do in New Zealand.
Most had a philosophical outlook, with one saying: "It's not only dairy owners that have to be scared, it can happen to anybody. No one's safe really. There's no use worrying about it because no one can stop whatever's going to happen to you."
The overall feeling among those surveyed was that police needed more powers and the justice system needed reworking.
Some had rearranged their stores so they could escape easily if they were attacked.
Most store owners had security cameras but one man said that would not save him if he was being attacked.
"I have had four robberies," he said. "One with a shotgun, one with a knife, one with a screwdriver and one with a hammer. It's very scary, it's not safe at all. Anything can happen. You can't stop them."
Just 54 per cent of dairy owners are reporting every incident in their stores to the police. Many said they felt the police were too busy and took too long to respond. Others felt that offenders would never be caught so they didn't bother reporting crime.
Alpesh Patel, owner of Julieann Dairy in Avondale, has been robbed four times - the most recent in July when a robber shot an airgun slug that narrowly missed him.
Mr Patel said he became fearful every time a customer reached into their pockets. "He's just getting money but you don't know if he's going to take out a knife or a gun."
Fifty-eight store owners admitted having weapons - which included sticks, baseball bats and a metal ruler - under their counters.
Others said they felt confused about the laws of self-protection following the police decision this month to charge an Otara liquor store owner after a brawl outside his shop.
"Do you have to stand there and just let them stab you?" asked one.
- Andrew Koubaridis
DAIRY SURVEY
* Do you feel safe?
Yes 40.5%
No 57.5%
Sometimes 2%
* Do you feel violent crime has got worse?
Yes 86.5%
No 11.5%
Don't know 2%
* Do you keep weapons?
Yes 29%
No 71%
* Have you increased any security measures in recent times?
Yes 39.5%
No 60.5%
* Are the police doing enough to help the problem?
Yes 21%
No 59.5%
It's not their fault 15%
Don't know 4.5%
* Are you thinking of selling your business?
Yes 13%
No 87%
* Have you been the victim of a robbery?
Yes 63%
No 37%
* Do you report every incident to the police?
Yes 54%
No 37.5%
n/a 8.5%
