EXCLUSIVE: Altona’s crime-plagued Harrington Square has been hit again with a gunman holding up the FoodWorks supermarket and bottle shop on Friday night.
As reported by the Weekly, since the near-fatal bashing of bookshop owner Jill Brookes on July 20, virtually every trader has been a victim of crime — at least once.
A source told the Weekly that a worker was held up with a shotgun and a robber went through every till at the FoodWorks supermarket and bottle shop at about 8pm.
Another source said a substantial amount of money was taken.
A worker said no one was physically injured, but they felt “shaken”.
“Lately, the whole square’s been a bit of a mess,” he said.
Some traders were too upset to speak, others smiled or laughed, as though with hysteria.
One long-term trader, who has also been robbed, said it must be the third or fourth time the supermarket had been targeted since new management took over some months ago.
“That supermarket’s had a spate of break-ins. A couple of days after they took over, someone broke in and took their smokes. Then, two or three weeks after that, someone broke in and took their smokes again.”
Police crime prevention officer Craig McDonald, who was on leave last week, said he had called for brighter lighting, particularly near the bottle shop. “It’s pretty open,” he said. “It’s dangerous. I asked for the lights to be brighter because at night time the light’s a bit dull.”
Leading Senior Constable McDonald said he believed Protective Service Officers at Westona station — expected to arrive by year’s end — would help curb crime. But the trader said: “I don’t know whether the lighting will make any difference.”
He believes PSOs would make a difference as they would “notice any commotion”.
Hobsons Bay Council last night endorsed the allocation of $50,000 in budget funding for safety upgrades to the square.
The council is also expected to lobby the Department of Justice for funding.
Ms Brookes, 61 at the time she was attacked, has had a ceramic plate put in her head after being bashed and robbed. She is expected to need rehabilitation for the foreseeable future and her family is selling her former bookshop.
Her assailant has not been caught.
Embona armed robbery task force detectives declined to comment on the latest robbery.
Information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppers.com.au
Have you had an experience of crime at Harrington Square? Email Goya with your story to gdmytryshchak@mmpgroup.com.au
