11/07/2026
Last night, our family experienced something that no small business should ever have to go through.
Two well-dressed men came into our restaurant and asked to sit at a table near the front door. They ordered mains, naan, and beers, enjoyed their meal, and then suddenly ran out without paying. The entire incident was captured on our security cameras
At first, we didn't realise what was happening. My wife noticed them running out the door and asked me if they had paid. As soon as we realised they hadn't, I called out. Before I could stop them, my youngest daughter ran after one of the men, while my son chased the other. In that moment, I was terrified. My only thought was that they could have been carrying a weapon or could have seriously hurt my children. I shouted for them to stop, let them go, and forget the money, but everything happened so quickly, and they were too far away to hear me.
I ran after them myself, sandals in hand, but I couldn't keep up at my age. When I lost sight of my daughter in the darkness of the alleyway in town, my heart sank. Thankfully, one of our good friends and his son, who were dining with us at the time, immediately came outside to help.
I eventually heard my daughter shouting, "I've got him, Dad!" She had managed to hold onto one of the men in the nearby domain while he repeatedly tried to break free by elbowing her in the chest, scratching her, and struggling against her. Thankfully, her injuries were only minor, and for that I am incredibly grateful.
With the help of our friend and his son, we brought the man back to the restaurant. My son had also caught the second man, but he managed to escape again before we returned. The remaining man initially told us he had no money and had just been released from prison. Once he realised he wasn't getting away, he eventually agreed to pay for the meal.
It was a frightening and emotional night for our family, but what makes it even more upsetting is that this isn't the first time it has happened.
On another occasion, two men ordered beers, mains, and naans before telling us they had forgotten their wallet. They also ran out, but we were able to locate them hiding. They promised to transfer the money once they got home. After two days of waiting, we called to follow up, only to be told, "Go to the police, I don't care they won't do anything."
As a family-owned business, we work hard every day to provide good food, good service, and a welcoming place for our community. Most of our customers are honest, kind, and supportive, and we are incredibly grateful for every one of you.
However, incidents like these leave us asking difficult questions. Do we continue operating as we always have, trusting that these situations are rare? Or do we introduce payment before dining to protect our staff, our business, and my family?
The money lost is one thing. What truly shook us was seeing our children put themselves in harm's way. No meal is worth risking their safety.
Paeroa has always been a town we love and are proud to be part of. We have never once thought about leaving because this community has supported us from the very beginning. But experiences like this are incredibly disheartening.
We would genuinely appreciate hearing your thoughts. Would you understand if we moved to a "pay before you dine" system for dine-in customers? Is that something you would be comfortable with, or would you prefer we continue as we are?
Thank you to everyone who continues to support our family business. Your kindness means more to us than you know.
