After more than 16 years of service, Charlie Sung-Gin Jung, 61, and his wife Wendy Young-suck Back, 60, are closing their dairy due to a relentless wave of violent robberies and ram-raids, The New Zealand Herald reported.
The couple, who have run Galaxie Dairy on View Rd, Mt Eden, announced that their last day of operation will be this Friday, July 19. Jung cited safety concerns as the primary reason for their early retirement.
Originally from South Korea, Jung moved to New Zealand 22 years ago, attracted by its reputation for peace and safety. However, in recent years, Galaxie Dairy has been repeatedly targeted by criminals. The past two years have seen four violent robberies, including a ram-raid and a hammer attack, along with almost daily shoplifting.
The most harrowing incident occurred last November when Wendy was assaulted with a hammer during an aggravated robbery. A St John spokesperson confirmed that a "bladed weapon" was also involved, and Wendy was hospitalised in moderate condition.
"Crime happens at our shop every day, and we are very tired and scared," Jung explained. "Every time someone unfamiliar walks into our store, we become scared that they might do something to us ... we don’t want to live like that any more.”
Incidents of theft have left the store's glass cabinets shattered and half the shop destroyed in a ram-raid. Reflecting on their early days in New Zealand, Jung noted, “It was really safe, and we decided this was a great place to live and raise our family.”
Initially operating a cleaning business, the couple later acquired the dairy. They have two daughters, a 25-year-old pharmacist and a 22-year-old soon-to-be university graduate.
Jung expressed deep concern about the post-Covid-19 landscape, citing increased drug use and the rising belief that theft and violence are acceptable. Regularly, intoxicated individuals enter the store, causing havoc and stealing without consequence.
“Since my wife was attacked, she is not the same. She gets nervous and scared about things, and feels unsafe,” Jung shared with The New Zealand Herald.
Longtime customer Felicity O’Driscoll echoed the community's sentiment, saying, “They have been such a lovely, kind presence in the community for so long, it’s awful they’re being driven out.”
The news of the dairy’s closure has sparked widespread sadness and shock on the Mt Eden Community Noticeboard Facebook page. Sarah Emily Heares, another local resident, voiced her distress: “I was devastated. I feel bad for them. I spoke to Charlie and he said it’s just too dangerous.”
Jane Brown, whose parents previously owned the dairy for 12 years, lamented the closure: “They will be turning in their graves at this news.”
In response to the escalating crime, the Dairy and Business Owners Group has urged the Commissioner of Police to implement greater protective measures, including AI-supported cameras to track offenders and tougher laws to hold parents accountable for their children's crimes. According to Group chairman Sunny Kaushal, the number of reported retail crimes last year surged to 148,599, a fivefold increase from 2015.