Chandrika Yadav’s sleep was broken and her anxiety peaked in the five weeks since her Tarrawanna business was last robbed.
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She found herself waking suddenly each morning at 3 o’clock – the same time the security call had come. Beside her, her husband and business partner, Raj Yadav, was also on alert.
Police soon recovered one of the laptops that had been stolen from their business, Tarrawanna Post Office. As the weeks passed, Mrs Yadav felt her nerves settling.
Then on Wednesday morning the sleep-ending call came once again – rousing the couple at 1.15am this time.
“I had only just started resting a bit better,” Mrs Yadav told the Mercury on Thursday. “But I’m dreadful today. It’s happened again.”
CCTV footage from the Meadow Street business shows two thieves arriving prepared, with gloves and their faces covered. They smashed a glass door panel then ransacked the store of jewelery. Piquing the interest of police: one thief wore a pajama-like ‘onesie’.
The business was closed on Wednesday – an entire day’s takings lost, on top of the damage bill – as the couple cleaned up what was their sixth robbery in eight years, said Mr Yadev.
“We work really hard just to survive, and people like this come in and think it’s free of charge," he said.
“This will set us back three or four months [financially]. And psychologically it takes a toll as well.”
Information from the early stage of their investigation led police to a Chounding Crescent, Bellambi home later Wednesday.
Police seized three firearms and ammunition from the home, including two loaded, semi-automatic sawn-off shotguns.
Detective Inspector Brad Ainsworth said the weapons were found in the home’s roof cavity, above the laundry.
“No person has been arrested, but I’m fairly confident that will take place soon,” he said, Thursday afternoon.
Police believe the Tarrawanna break-in is linked to a similar raid on Balgownie Mini Mart, on Balgownie Road, about 2.45am Wednesday.
An estimated 25 cartons of cigarettes, worth more than $7000, were taken, alone with an iPad and a donation box for a children’s charity.
Tony Hong and his wife Ying Hong, who keep the store trading 12 hours a day, seven days a week, are dismayed at their losses.
“It's really put us in a very tough situation because we work every day and all of a sudden you wake up you've lost $7000-$8000,” Mr Hong said.
“It will take a long time for us to recover. Yes, we so have insurance but they won't cover everything. Like the windows are not covered. Hopefully I can get 50 per cent of the losses back.”
Police are calling on anyone with information that could aid their investigation to make contact.
Call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.