Small business owners unite to stop break-ins

SEVERAL break-ins in Boronia have prompted small business owners to join together for a safer environment.
Shops one to 12 at 159 Boronia Road recently were broken into six times in six weeks, with a dog-grooming shop, a chicken takeaway and a Thai restaurant targeted on Sunday, 2 April.
Business owner June Wilson, who runs the patchwork shop, Lilly Patches, in the strip, said the burglaries prompted a meeting of traders on Tuesday, 4 April.
Ms Wilson said although not much had been taken in the robberies, it was a disruption to trade.
“We want to see what we can do to be more proactive and do more to prevent these sorts of things from happening.
“We can’t just rely on the police. You just have to be realistic and realise there just aren’t enough of them to go around,” she said.
Ms Wilson said the police would be invited to the next meeting, planned for Tuesday, 18 April.
She also hoped the body corporate, Appleby Real Estate, would also be able to come to the table.
“We are trying to convince them we need more lighting. It looks like the black hole of Calcutta down here,” she said.
Close-circuit television cameras are also under discussion, as is the need for traders to leave on interior lights at night.
Despite the break-ins and the difficulty of mobilising busy traders, Ms Wilson was optimistic that a collective effort could help find a solution.
“It’s called Boronia village and it does have that sort of atmosphere between the traders.
“You’ve just got to get off your backside and do something for yourself,” she said.