Police have increased foot patrols in Auckland’s CBD by 220%, but retailers say they are still dealing with an unbearable amount of crime.
One barber, Rafat Zain, who has been operating in a store next to the Sky Tower for more than a decade, told 1News a close friend was recently bashed in the back of the head just up the road.
“One of the people on the road attacked him with no reason,” he said.
He had to spend two days in the hospital.
“The number of crimes [occurring] is increasing,” he said.
“This is happening every day.”
PJ helps run the Coffee Club next door. They recently had someone wander into their storeroom and help themselves.
No one has been caught.
“People do drugs and crime can happen here.”
Auckland’s deputy mayor, Desley Simpson, described the state of crime in Auckland as “absolutely awful”.
Inspector Grae Anderson is responsible for central city policing. As a response to crime concerns in the CBD, police set up a base right in the middle of the city.
Anderson said there had been more than 11,000 foot patrols in the CBD this year – a 220% increase on this time last year.
“It's always alarming to see the violence that people choose to employ in such a brazen fashion,” he told 1News.
“I think it's fair to say there's been an increase in offending across the board.
“Predominantly in the city it's alcohol related, mental health related, and all of those are competing demands for us.”
Everyone 1News spoke to for this story said they wanted more police patrols in the area, but Anderson said his staff were working hard to be visible.
“They need to be reporting incidents to us,” he said.
We can't be their private security though, I really feel for them, but we've got a city to police, we can't be on every street corner.
He said safety in the city is ultimately the responsibility of everyone.
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