by Peter de Graaf In the 14 months since Snehal Patel has owned the Coin Save in Kamo, the shop has been broken into four times and he has called in the police nine times. But this time he has had enough. Yesterday he was once again cleaning up broken glass andcounting missing stock after windows were smashed and clothing snatched. This time the thieves smashed 16 louvre windows on the side of the shop, reached through the bars and hauled out about $2000 worth of children's clothes and schoolbags. A passer-by alerted police before 8am yesterday after spotting broken glass scattered along Wilkinson Rd. The shop's alarm was not triggered so police are unsure exactly when the theft took place. Last night Mr Patel was planning to board up the side windows, "otherwise they'll just come back and do it again". The combination of ongoing thefts and the economic downturn - he said sales had dropped by 20 to 30 per cent so far this year - has prompted him to wind down his Kamo shop and try his luck in Wellsford instead. The shop will close in the next three weeks. He will keep his Tikipunga Coin Save store, which has nowhere near as much trouble. Last year a large front window was smashed at the Kamo Rd shop, leaving his landlord with a $2000 repair bill. All that was taken in that raid was one or two hoodies priced at $40. "It just doesn't make sense," he said. He is insured, but the $800 excess means it is not worth reporting every theft - and he says that all too often when the thieves are caught they are under 17 so there is little the police can do. "These kids don't care about the law or family group conferences ... they do what they want." Mr Patel worked as an auto mechanic in South Auckland and owned the Price Cutter store in Kawakawa before moving to Whangarei. " If you have any information call the Whangarei station on (09) 430 4500.
