Cafe owner fed up after burglaries, assault

Cafe Esplanade, located at the Victorian Esplanade, was burgled by a lone man about 10.50pm on Thursday.

The man tried to kick the front door down, but gained entry by smashing a window with a chair - scattering shards of glass through the cafe.

The energetic burglar dived over the counter and fly-kicked a baby chair before filling his backpack with bottles of whisky, brandy and rum. "He's gone straight for the top-shelf alcohol, taken about four or five bottles, and then he's left, in and out," cafe owner Glen Vivian said.

The alcohol was worth about $200 but the window replacement and repair would cost about $500.

Mr Vivian went to the cafe about 11pm to organise repairs and speak to police but encountered more trouble when he left to get petrol.

While driving on Fitzherbert Ave, between College St and Park Rd, a group a youths hurled rocks at his car.

"I heard this huge thud ... and I saw these six youngsters. One of the girls came over saying `sorry, sorry'.

"I thought she was in trouble but then she tried to get into the car."

The rest of the group then began to kick and punch the back of the car.

"The main guy was on something. He was totally spaced out. He was trying to get me."

There was minimal damage to the car, so Mr Vivian did not press charges, preferring to leave the matter with police.

There have been three other break-ins at the cafe since Mr Vivian took over two years ago.

In two of them the offenders were scared off by the alarms, but one in June involved a small fire being lit inside the cafe.

"Its enough now," Mr Vivian said. "It's been a hard year for the hospitality industry. We have a great team and we are working really hard to make a go of the business."

The cafe has an alarm, four security cameras, security lights and a sensor shutter function, so offenders were up against it, he said.

"We have as much security as we can have without getting razor wire and electric fencing. We are going to catch them."

- © Fairfax NZ News