Two dairy operators, each hit twice by thieves in the past few weeks, say Greymouth feels a less safe place to do business than it was when they set up in town.
Thieves have ransacked numerous stores around Greymouth over the past two months, including the Tainui Discounter and Karoro School Store, Do Duck In Bakery, Sampan Chinese Restaurant, Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant, Guthrie Bowron and Idea Services.
As well, vehicle break-ins including outside business premises have been reported, enclosed yards at rural sites were regularly targeted and fuel thefts have become more common.
The Tainui Discounter was burgled on October 11 and then again on November 8.
Proprietor Sunny Patel said the latest burglaries were two too many, and followed others in the same neighbourhood in recent weeks.
"It's getting worse now. Greymouth is not like before - it wasn't like this," Mr Patel said.
Cigarettes and cash were usually the target.
"If they can't find the smokes, then they take whatever else they can find."
Mr Patel moved to Greymouth in 2015 thinking it was "a really nice place", but every burglary took its toll and he was beginning to think twice.
"This is my fourth year in Greymouth. The last two years have been really nice - peace and quiet and safe. This last year, we've noticed a lot of crime around the town. This is very shocking.
"I'm thinking, should I stay here or move somewhere else because I don't feel it's going to be safe any more? It's getting worse and worse."
Another reality of each burglary was a one to two day disruption to business.
"Whenever they do this we're shut all day ... We have to wait for the police to arrive, plus repairs ... we lose one to two days (trading)."
Stock was covered by insurance but cigarettes represented many thousands of dollars, as well as building repairs where the thieves had smashed their way in.
Karoro School Store manager Maulik Pariyani said the burglaries were traumatic and inconvenient.
"You feel stressed and don't feel normal for a few days," Mr Pariyani said following the latest break-in last weekend.
Each cost in terms of lost stock, repairs and cleaning up before reopening. Police needed to be involved for insurance purposes and sometimes their investigations meant a delay.
"I feel insecure now, and feel we've been violated. We don't feel secure in keeping costly stuff like smokes in the shop," Mr Pariyani said.
"As a small business we find it difficult to manage everything."
Security had been beefed up with cameras and alarms, but he said he had not expected a "state of fear" in Greymouth when he arrived 11 months ago to manage the store.
"We thought, it's a quiet place ... we haven't expected this. I thought Greymouth was a nice secure small town. Our neighbours are so friendly, and we haven't expected this."
Mr Pariyani said the only consolation was the support he had experienced from the Greymouth community.
"People, especially customers, are not happy with what is happening. They feel for us."
- by Brendon McMahon
