Larry Williams Drive

Is New Zealand a third world country? A dairy owner in Huntly reckons we are. Jas Sandhu’s Four Square shop has been burgled three times in the last 90 days, he says. The last time was Saturday morning. He’s watched the CCTV footage and he reckons it’s the same people who burgled him once before. He says he’s living in constant fear and he’s about ready to give up the shop he’s run since 2004. He remembers when all you needed for security was glass doors. Now, he says, “it’s heavy metal, roller doors everywhere.” He says New Zealand is a “third world country”. He doesn’t say why he thinks that but perhaps it’s because of the police response. Even though police were called around 6am, they didn’t turn up until 9:30. He says he asked for one police officer to check out the shop with them in case someone was still inside but he says “The person on the phone said if I wait for the cop, I will be there all day”. Obviously, New Zealand isn’t third world – we’re a developed country – but I get what he means. This is