Headquarters: Leo Molloy accuses police of being ‘weak as piss’ after alleged attempted break-in at bar causes $50,000 damage

CCTV images show a bare-chested man holding on to the awning at Leo Molloy's bar headquarters at the Auckland Viaduct. Photo / CCTV Leo Molloy

Bar owner Leo Molloy has hit out at police for inaction claiming an attempted break-in at his HeadQuarters bar caused more than $50,000 in damage.

Molloy has CCTV footage of damage being done to a new fully electric awning that shelters the front courtyard of the bar in Auckland’s Viaduct.

The outspoken businessman accused police of being “weak as piss” for not arresting offenders despite arriving within minutes and speaking to them.

He told the Herald the awning was only installed 10 weeks ago and cost $260,000. The damage means the awning will not retract and will cost around $50,000 to fix. It meant the outdoor area would be exposed to the elements for four weeks.

“Thanks NZ Police, you’re as weak as piss. We have the surveillance, we have their images. What more do you need FFS,” Molloy posted to Twitter.

HQ at 4am. Initial estimates of damage $50,000, plus awnings need fixing, that’s 4 weeks without shelter. Loss of t/o in the hundreds of thousands. Thanks NZ Police, you’re as weak as piss. We have the surveillance, we have their images. What more do you need FFS pic.twitter.com/ckmfK24ivb

— Leo Molloy (@LeoMolloyNZ) March 20, 2023

Molloy added a screenshot of what appears to be communication from the police media team stating police attended but no arrests had been made.

He said the estimated loss of turnover from losing the all-weather area heading into winter would be in the “hundreds of thousands”.

Molloy was alerted after a cleaner arrived at the bar early in the morning to find people on the roof.

“He’s not a big guy so he called 111 and when police arrived I understand the guys were still on the roof. They were just told to get down, no arrests were made,” Molloy said.

The CCTV image shows the man about to hit the ground after falling from the awning at Headquarters Bar at Auckland's Viaduct. Photo / CCTV Leo Molloy

“I’m gutted because we are faced with a four-week fix so that’s hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost turnover - for the police to say it doesn’t matter just isn’t right.”

CCTV footage shows a bare-chested man with a red baseball cap swinging from the awning. In another shot, it shows the same man falling backwards, with arms out, just about to hit the ground.

“That would have to have hurt him,” Molloy said.

“That is around a 3m fall and it was onto hard pavers.”

Police told the Herald they received reports of a group of four people “playing around” and damaging the roof at the commercial premises.

Damage to the $260,000 electric awning will cost about $50,000 to repair. Photo / Dean Purcell

“Police have attended, located a group nearby who matched the description, and spoken with the offenders,” a spokesman said.

“Police have undertaken to facilitate reparations between the owner of the premises and those responsible for any damage.”

HeadQuarters Viaduct opened on January 25 after moving from its previous site nearby. It is now on the site of the old O’Hagan’s Irish Pub on Customs St West.