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South Auckland community hopes to stop spate of violent crime

Author
Rosie Gordon,
Publish Date
Sun, 28 May 2017, 7:02AM
A frustrated South Auckland community is hoping to find a solution to the recent spate of violent crime. (Supplied)
A frustrated South Auckland community is hoping to find a solution to the recent spate of violent crime. (Supplied)

South Auckland community hopes to stop spate of violent crime

Author
Rosie Gordon,
Publish Date
Sun, 28 May 2017, 7:02AM

A frustrated South Auckland community is hoping to find a solution to the recent spate of violent crime.

Mangere residents are holding a community meeting on Monday to discuss the issue.

The meeting comes after the Kingsford Superette was violently robbed by four masked men last week.

All four men have been arrested.

Police said the men stormed the shop near closing time, striking a worker on the head and holding a knife to his throat.

The meeting follows one in Mount Roskill earlier in the year which was in response to a dairy owner being brutally attacked.

Mangere Local, Malcolm Turner, said the tight-knit community is hurting.

"We all feel for everyone that suffers injustice from stolen goods or intruders in the home in the middle of the night, we all live together, laugh together and now we are kind of bleeding together," he said.

Residents are also calling on police to step up after they have been left fearing for their safety.

Turner, said police deal with the crime at hand but don't follow up - leaving residents to worry.

"When they visit the dairy they have to look over their shoulder, and do they lock their doors? Do they leave their kids in the car? It's beginning to be a fear of crimes," he said.

He said police need to communicate with locals, provide support and tell them how to react.

This follows the launch of a nationwide police campaign targeting people who receive and deal stolen property from aggravated burglaries.

The campaign is in response to the steady stream of aggravated robberies at dairies, service stations and other small retailers.

According to police data, 587 aggravated robberies were reported nationwide in January and February this year, compared with 486 during the same period in 2016.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush said the police are very concerned about the impact the rise in violent crime is having on small business owners.

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