A Northland dairy owner is threatening to go on a hunger strike if the youths responsible for pillaging his dairy are not brought to justice.
The owner of Rainbow Dairy in Whangārei, which was forced to close following an aggravated robbery, was furious when one of the two teenage boys apprehended was granted bail in the Youth Court last week.
The other boy is in custody, the Northern Advocate reports.
The dairy owner, who wished to remain anonymous, is calling on the government to crack down on juvenile offenders with a combination of custodial sentences and hard labour in order to instil some work ethic for money.
"All dairy owners in the past that have been beaten up and robbed have gone back to their businesses, but for me it's better to close the shop, go to Work and Income and live off a benefit," the dairy owner said.
"If I have to go on hunger strike to get my point across that juveniles who commit these types of offences need to be locked up and made to do hard labour, then I will.
"Nothing is done to them because of their age. The Government should seriously, in light of the number of serious violent crimes, committed by people as young as 13 and 14, try them either in adult court or lower the age threshold in the Youth Court," he said.
The attack, which took place on August 21, started with two-knife-wielding robbers jumping over the counter, who then demanded that the owner's wife hand over their two-month-old baby girl.
They allegedly ripped out the cash register and emptied cigarettes off shelves and trashed the shop, before running away.
The owner's wife and another family member locked themselves in a back room to escape them.
Within an hour of the robbery taking place, Police arrested two teenagers aged 15 and 16.
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