Veteran's missive for moaning businesses

A Huntly retailer of 65 years has hit out at fellow shopkeepers who say crime is rampant in the North Waikato town and destroying their businesses.

"I was deeply offended to read that," Murray Allen, of Allen Fabrics, said. "It's always been a great business town."

Mr Allen contacted the Waikato Times after reading Wednesday's report in which several retailers told the newspaper their insurance premiums were skyrocketing due to repeated break-ins and vandalism.

One retailer said they were ready to leave Huntly altogether after being burgled or vandalised close to 40 times in recent years.

But Mr Allen said all small towns faced those problems – and Huntly was no different.

"Thankfully we are not in the serious situation that exists in cities with their violence, where every corner dairy must have security cameras."

He said many retailers were their own worst enemy.

"By allowing graffiti to remain (on their buildings) and installing roller doors, they're creating a bad image for the town."

Other businesses had alarms, but they were not monitored, Mr Allen said.

There was no excuse for Huntly retailers not to properly secure their business because security camera systems were extremely affordable.

His son Greg Allen installed cameras about five years ago in his shop next door, Allenmara Computers Ltd.

The cameras had not only prevented break-ins at both shops, but had also recorded offenders in the act of attempting break-ins.

"If criminals are stupid enough to attempt offending in front of cameras, then the business owner has the satisfaction of handing proof to the police who can bring them to justice and gain reparation for damage caused."

Greg Allen said the cameras helped police catch two teenagers who poured solvent over three cats and set them on fire in 2005. "That was the most high-profile case."

Cameras would not beat all crime, but were good deterrents.

Greg Allen is a member of the North Waikato Crime Prevention Technology Trust, which tries to prevent crime by helping the police. "We own a whole lot of digital video recorders and cameras and the police tell us where they want them when there's hot-spot.

"It's working really well in Ngaruawahia, but we haven't had the funding to set it up in Huntly."

The goal was to have the system throughout Huntly's Main St. "But that doesn't mean that individual retailers shouldn't be responsible for their own security."

- © Fairfax NZ News