12 robberies in 12 months

Stuff reports:

As he lay on the tarmac outside his business, Ashfaq Farooqi suffered a heart attack.

Robbed of cigarettes and tobacco by four armed thieves, his Flagstaff Supervalue superette has been the target of 12 robberies in 12 months, he says.

On the most recent occasion, he attempted to prevent the thieves leaving the car park by standing in front of their getaway vehicle with a trolley full of beach toys.

For his efforts he was run over. It was then he suffered a heart attack.

I wonder if it is the same thieves each time or different ones. If the same ones, then it shows they are not getting caught. If it is different ones, then there are a hell of a lot of thieves out there.

Whatever the answer is, the owner would I am sure just like to be able to run a business without being held up.

“I can’t sell (the superette), no-one will buy it. I can’t run away. What can I do?”

Not only did Farooqi come away from the ordeal with an overbearing sense of despair as to the future of his business, he displays a laundry list of medication and a suicide prevention plan prepared for him by doctors at the hospital.

Should thieves attempt to rob his store again, Farooqi has a warning for them that leaves little to the imagination.

“I will kill them.”

Which is not the answer, but he obviously feels desperate and trapped.