In the wee hours of July 18, 2024 , City’s Choice Dairy, Palmerston north road, Gisborne was subjected to a robbery that has left the owners confused and in shock. At approximately 6:30 am, "five to six masked men walked into the shop with hammers, hockey sticks, and bats, wreaking havoc in a matter of minutes.”
Manpreet Kaur Gulati, the owner of City’s Choice Dairy, recounted the harrowing experience. At the time of the robbery, only one staff member was present, engaged in sorting milk, bread, and egg deliveries at the back of the shop.
“The staff member realised the dairy was being robbed when the buzzer went off around 6:30 AM. The dairy opens at 6:00 AM,” Kaur explained, highlighting the swiftness with which the incident occurred.
CCTV footage from the dairy provided a clearer picture of the chaos. The masked men, who seemingly appeared young, were seen breaking the safety glass and seizing two cash tills. They then turned their attention to the vape and cigarette counter, smashing through the safety glass and making off with as many products as they could grab.
“We are still assessing how much cash was stolen,” Kaur told The Indian Weekender. The full extent of the financial loss remains unknown as the investigation continues.
During the chaos, the lone staff member quickly contacted Kaur, who resides a short distance from the dairy. Upon reviewing the CCTV footage, Kaur was left confused by what she saw.
Amidst the robbery, one of the masked men was casually collecting confectionery items on one side of the shop.
“The man was gathering a lot of M&Ms, lollipops, Snickers bars, and some lighters as well. I was shocked. What's happening? This is the first time I have seen something like this,” Kaur said.
“He was just about chocolates, lollies, and also stole chewing gum from the counter before leaving.”
According to Kaur, the man managed to steal approximately 12-14 bags of M&Ms, 5-6 bags of Snickers bars, and an unknown quantity of chewing gum, adding a confused twist to the already bizarre robbery.
This incident comes amid a rising wave of retail crime across the country. The Auckland Indian Retailers Association has recently launched a petition urging policymakers to enforce stricter laws for juvenile offenders, reflecting growing concerns among business owners.Meanwhile, New Zealand government is set to launch its Oranga Tamariki-run pilot programme aimed at addressing young offenders.
“Retail crime is on the rise; that's what we keep seeing in the news. I was traumatised when the robbery happened at my dairy. We all saw what happened with Gurdeep Singh ji... I don’t feel safe anymore,” Kaur shared, echoing the sentiments of many small business owners who feel increasingly vulnerable.
City’s Choice Dairy, which has been a staple in the community since it opened in 2012, is now working closely with the police and their insurance company to recover from the incident and assess the damages. The owners hope that the perpetrators will be caught.
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