The Parnell Business Association welcomes the announcement from Police Minister Poto Williams that the Government is investing in crime prevention for our small retailers, including the installation of bollards and other structures to protect against ram raids.

The $6 million pot from the Proceeds of Crime Fund will help tackle retail crime and be welcomed by retailers, who will work closely with police to find solutions, but it’s just a start to remediating the problem, says Parnell Business Association (PBA) general manager Cheryl Adamson.

“I look forward to further details about how the programme will be rolled out. However, police are already greatly under-resourced and the process outlined by the Minister sounds long-winded. While we greatly respect the work that police are doing, the PBA would like to see a simple and straightforward plan for funding application.

“The cost of ram raids can often run into the tens of thousands, depending on the level of damage done. We’ve had several incidents in Parnell. For small retailers, it can take months to complete repairs. But it’s not just replacing windows, internal security structures such as grills and shutter doors come with hefty replacement costs, and they still need additional protection such as bollards, and they need them now!”

Demand for bollards has spiked along with the incidents of ram raids and some retailers report contractors saying they may have to wait months for their installation. PBA expects delivery to be a challenge, alongside due process and collaboration with Auckland Transport and shop landlords.

Thankfully, Auckland Transport has said it will expedite enquiries, but the process will entail working with landlords to submit an application for bollard installation before Auckland Transport can assess whether there will be a danger of hitting underground services, and non-obstructive placement during installation.

“We’re already assisting some of our businesses with their applications. In many instances, English is not their first language and they often feel intimidated applying to the likes of Council or Auckland Transport. So I really hope the establishment of the programme will be speedy and assist those retailers that have been hit in recent months.

“For dairy owners whose livelihood is their store, the costs involved can be daunting. Not to mention how vulnerable they must feel and there seems to be no consequences for the perpetrators,” Adamson said.

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