Charlie Sung-Gin Jung, 61, and his wife Wendy Young-suck Back, 60, are closing the dairy they’ve run for more than 16 years after being repeatedly targeted by ram raiders and violent robbers.
Jung, who owns and operates Galaxie Dairy on View Rd in Mt Eden, said they were being forced into early retirement because they no longer felt safe running their business.
Their last day of operation will be this Friday, July 19.
Jung, who moved to New Zealand 22 years ago from South Korea because it was “more peaceful and safer” said Galaxie Dairy had been a target of violent robbers and thieves.
In the past two years, the business had been subjected to four violent robberies including a ram raid and a hammer attack, and shoplifting was an almost daily occurrence, Jung said.
He said the worst incident was in November when his wife was assaulted with a hammer during an aggravated robbery where police confirmed a “bladed weapon” was also used.
She was rushed to Auckland Hospital in a moderate condition following the incident, which was described by a St John spokesman as a “serious assault”.
“Crime happens at our shop every day, and we are very tired and scared,” Jung said.
“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.”
He said thieves have smashed glass cabinets to steal things, and a ram-raid left half the store destroyed.
Jung said when they first moved from Seoul to Auckland, New Zealand was “very different”.
“Then it was really safe, and we decided this was a great place to live and raise our family,” he said.
At first, Jung and his wife had a cleaning business but bought the View Rd dairy when the opportunity arose.
The couple has two daughters, one a 25-year-old who works as a pharmacist and the other a 22-year-old who is graduating from university this year.
“New Zealand is not the same after Covid-19... it has become too dangerous,” Jung said.
“More people have gone on drugs, and many now think that it is okay to steal and be violent to get what they want.”
Jung said people high on drugs or intoxicated regularly came into the store, shouting, smashing things and taking what they wanted without paying.
“When it comes to serious crime, we were hit four times, but for smaller crimes, that happens almost every day,” Jung said.
“Since my wife was attacked she is not the same. She gets nervous and scared about things, and feels unsafe.”
He said it was disappointing to be forced to close their business because they felt unsafe.
“We have gotten to know so many good people in the community, and we feel really sad that we have to close our business in this way,” Jung said.
Jung said they still did not know what they were going to do next, but it won’t be running another business as it was “too dangerous”.
Felicity O’Driscoll, a Mt Eden resident and longtime customer, said the couple were well loved by so many.
“They have been such a lovely, kind presence in the community for so long, it’s awful they’re being driven out,” O’Driscoll said.
“They are just such nice people.”
On the Mt Eden Community Noticeboard Facebook page, many expressed shock at the news of the dairy’s closure.
“I was devastated. I feel bad for them. I spoke to Charlie and he said it’s just too dangerous,” said Sarah Emily Heares.
Jane Brown said she “grew up in this dairy” and her parents had owned it for about 12 years before Jung and his wife took over.
“They will be turning in their graves at this news,” Brown said.
Last month, the Dairy and Business Owners Group wrote to the Commissioner of Police demanding greater protection, including having artificial intelligence-supported cameras to help track offenders.
They also called for tougher laws and legislation to hold parents accountable for crimes committed by their children.
Group chairman Sunny Kaushal said the number of reported retail crimes last year was 148,599, which was five times more than in 2015.