1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Over the weekend we saw another wild weekend. There was 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 1: car thef's, there was ram raids, there was breakings. Now 3 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:10,200 Speaker 1: business owners are pretty fed up. I think it's safe 4 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: to say they're questioning why they get up each day 5 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: when it seems like nothing's changing. Now, one of those 6 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: business owners who was hit last week joins me on 7 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: the line right now. His name is Nathan Gibbons and 8 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: he owns a mechanic workshop. Good morning to you, Nathan. 9 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie. 10 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 1: How are you not too bad? Mate? Thanks so much 11 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:35,200 Speaker 1: for your time this morning. Nathan. What's been happening at 12 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: your mechanic workshop out at Yarrawonga. 13 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 2: So basic? Please? Not last week? Week before on Thursday, 14 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 2: we got to work in the morning after a phone 15 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 2: call from another mechanic down the road at about six 16 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:53,199 Speaker 2: thirty in the morning and our gate with on the 17 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 2: on the road, you know half so someone to jump 18 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 2: to the fans letting our dogs there, got in, smashed 19 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 2: the ignition barrel out of it and drove it straight 20 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 2: out the gate. So obviously we've had to fix the gate, 21 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 2: find the dogs, fixed the fence. And then Tuesday morning 22 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:15,960 Speaker 2: and that day I had just gone out to Sampalms 23 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 2: and started having first beer and I get a phone 24 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 2: call from the police staying that once again, our fences 25 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 2: have all been cut open and they'd stolen our work 26 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 2: us and damaged multiple other cars, smash windows, attended to 27 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 2: steal out of cars. 28 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:38,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, mate, you are joking. So how many times have 29 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 1: you guys been hit? 30 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:44,639 Speaker 2: We've been hit. That's twice, so four days, two cars 31 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 2: in four days. We're just sort of thankful that the 32 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 2: second car was our personal car. You know, hard call 33 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 2: and a customer to tell them that their car has 34 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 2: been stolen. It feels quite embarrassing. But yeah, we've only 35 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 2: been hit twice. But you know, we came to yesterday 36 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 2: and a business down the road from us had the 37 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 2: gate on the grounds have been smashed in, the keys 38 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 2: have been stolen to cars. They stole cash, credit cards 39 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 2: and then jump in one of their cars and drove 40 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 2: it straight to the front gate. 41 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,520 Speaker 1: Oh mate, And you know, like you've said there, it's 42 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 1: a hard call to make for you guys if it's 43 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: one of the vehicles that you're fixing that gets stolen. 44 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 1: But you know, like this is the thing, this is 45 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 1: a situation we're in in the northern territory right now 46 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 1: where this kind of thing's happening every bloody day. 47 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's disgusting, it really is. Like something needs to happen. 48 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 2: This government needs to grow a bit of a backbone 49 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:41,919 Speaker 2: and do something about it, because business owners that's set 50 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 2: up with it, like we're up all night checking our 51 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 2: security cameras, you know, losing sleep, come and work tired 52 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 2: because we've been watching our cameras all night to make 53 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 2: sure no one's in our yard or attacking out dogs 54 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 2: that are here, or you know, wrecking people's cars. It's ridiculous, 55 00:02:58,280 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 2: it truly is. 56 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: Now tell me as well. Obviously you've got but what 57 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: you've just said, then you know you're checking your security 58 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: cameras at night, so you've got that security measure in place. 59 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: You've also got dogs out there by the sounds of things. 60 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 1: But last time they broke in, they actually let the 61 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 1: dogs out. 62 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 2: So we've had dogs here for ten years because ten 63 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 2: years ago we got broken into, so we put dogs 64 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 2: in the art. We've never had a drama. And then 65 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 2: now they've just they don't really care that you've got 66 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 2: dogs anymore. They just cut the fence open let them out. 67 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 2: That was the first time. The second time they got in, 68 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 2: they sort of pined them up in front of the 69 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 2: workyard and just threw things that I'm through rocks at them, 70 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 2: and we're throwing tools at them, and you know they're 71 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 2: carrying knives and stuff, like, what are our dogs spoke 72 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 2: to do against seven people with weapons? Oh well, one 73 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 2: thing we want to come into work is one of 74 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 2: our dogs has been killed. So it's a scary time. 75 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 1: Really, it really is like that. I mean, that would 76 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: be horrifying. That'd be an incredibly sad situation to be in. 77 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, it would indeed. 78 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, mate, do you you must feel like you're sitting ducks? 79 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 2: We do like to get hit twice in four days, 80 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 2: just feel kind of silly. Lot. We've got to go 81 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:16,159 Speaker 2: through extreme measures at the moment to lock all the 82 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 2: cars that can potentially be broken into instolen inside of 83 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 2: our shed, which and then we've now barricaded all of 84 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:27,840 Speaker 2: the workshop doors and everything to stop them to even 85 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:32,039 Speaker 2: getting in. And it's just a waste of time, like 86 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 2: we shouldn't have to do all of this, And everyone 87 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:37,479 Speaker 2: around this area feels the same. We all feel like 88 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 2: at any minute we're going to get a phone call 89 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 2: or we're going to see on our cameras that a 90 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 2: car's in stolen or you know, they've been in our 91 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 2: yard and they've smashed everything up again, and it's just 92 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 2: it's ridiculous. It's a waste of time and it's a 93 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:50,799 Speaker 2: waste of money. 94 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, and you know you shouldn't have to feel like that. 95 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 1: Yarrawonga is an area where it's an industrial precinct. You've 96 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: got a lot of businesses out there. My family's got 97 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 1: property there. My mum actually used to stay out at 98 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 1: one of the caretakers residences out there, and it reached 99 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 1: a point where she no longer felt safe out there. 100 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: She ended up, you know, even though she's only in 101 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: town once a month, she ended up renting out a 102 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 1: unit in the city because she simply did not feel safe. 103 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:20,279 Speaker 1: Now that in itself, I just think when you've got 104 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 1: businesses out there at Yarrawonga that are being continuously targeted 105 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 1: by ram rags, you can't operate a business without worrying 106 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:29,359 Speaker 1: that you're going to have vehicles stolen. It's just not 107 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:29,960 Speaker 1: good enough. 108 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 2: No, it's discussing and you know, we thought, you know, 109 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 2: what do we doing do we stay here and trying 110 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 2: to turn people from coming in, but then we're not 111 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 2: sleep and you're staying here all night. If you try 112 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 2: and go out there and confronting the possibility that you're 113 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:46,919 Speaker 2: going to get seriously injured. You know they've all got weapons. 114 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 2: There's lots of them. If there's only two or three 115 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 2: of us here, what are you going to do against five, six, seven, 116 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 2: eight of them? And the big numbers of them. And 117 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,919 Speaker 2: they think it's funny. They're all laughing and joking. You 118 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 2: can see them all having a great time in our yard. 119 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:03,559 Speaker 2: They're throwing stuff at the dogs, they're getting chased around. 120 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 2: It's all a big game to them. It's ridiculous. Somewhere 121 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:08,599 Speaker 2: got to do something about it, and it needs to 122 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 2: happen soon because it's just yeah, it's unacceptable. It's disgusting. 123 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 1: It truly is. Mate. You've said what I think so 124 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,600 Speaker 1: many Territorians are feeling right now. I appreciate you coming 125 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:21,159 Speaker 1: on and having a chat with us. I know it's 126 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: not easy as a business owner having to step out 127 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:27,080 Speaker 1: and speak about this stuff, but I think we've all 128 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 1: got to make sure that we're doing it. The government 129 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 1: needs to know that we are not accepting of what 130 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: is going on in our homes. 131 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right. This government seriously is It's just like, yeah, 132 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 2: they need to pull their finger out and do something 133 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 2: about it. It's disgusting. Someone's going to do something bad. 134 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 2: Someone's going to take action into their own hands, and 135 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 2: something bad is going to happen, and that's the last 136 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 2: thing we all want. But something needs to be done. 137 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:58,520 Speaker 2: This government's got the backbone of a jellyfish and they 138 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 2: need to fix it, certainly do mate. 139 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: I really appreciate you having a chat with us this morning. 140 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 1: I'm sorry to hear what has happened to you, but 141 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: I really appreciate you speaking to us today. 142 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 2: Nathan, appreciate your time. Thank you very much. 143 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 1: Datie, no worries at all.