'No one would should fear for their safety when doing their job'

Workers at a Navan business who are regularly harassed by a group of youths coming into the store threatening them and shoplifting have said it is time to open the “conversation around what can be done to make Navan safer again”.

Staff at Millbrook Market on Kennedy Plaza were left shaken and upset following the latest incident where youths who had been put out of the shop, kicked in the glass door at around 3pm on Wednesday of last week.

It was not an isolated incident and they say they constantly have issues with the same group of teenage lads coming in to the store and that other businesses in the area have been facing similar problems.

Michaela Gutu who works in Millbrook Market was so frustrated by the latest incident that she took to Facebook to highlight what has been going on.

She wrote: “This evening my place of work in Navan was targeted and violently smashed in by three young men. The reason I say targeted is due to there being all female staff. These thugs threatened and smashed glass onto the staff.

“The girls working there were absolutely terrified and honestly, so are many others working in the area.

“This isn’t just about one incident, it’s about how unsafe Navan has become due to the actions of a small group of young criminals who have no respect for businesses, workers or the community. No one should have to fear for their safety just for doing their job.

“We need more protection, more accountability, and real action to stop this from happening again. It’s time to stand together and make Navan safe again”. After highlighting the threatening behaviour staff at the food store have experienced, many people offered messages of support and Michaela said they were very grateful to their customers and the local community for this support.

She said they have had so many incidents with the same group of young lads yet they are just getting away with it. “These lads want a reaction. They knew they were barred and the girls were trying to take them out of the store and as they were leaving she tried to close the door and one ran at it and smashed it in.

“You just don't know what they will do next - if they will pick up a of piece of glass and throw it at you.”

She said Gardai did come about an hour later and said they would look for them around the town but Michaela says they would have been long home by then.

“I wrote the post out of frustration. Something needs to be done”.

Michaela said about a year ago, Gardai did patrol the area for a while and things settled down but it is back as bad as ever now

“We need to have open the conversation about what more can be done to make Navan safer for all businesses and individuals. No one should feel unsafe just coming to work.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve had issues like this, and to be honest, it’s becoming a real concern for us, not just as a business, but as a team of people who love working here and serving our community.

“We’re a small business with a small, all-female team, some of whom are quite young. Incidents like this leave us all feeling shaken, and it’s not the type of environment we want for our staff or our customers.”

Another business in the area, Boyds have had similar issues and has had to bar the same group of youths because of anti-social behaviour. The manager, Michal Lisiecki said the group involves children as young as 12 or 13 who have “absolutely no respect for anybody or anything”.

They now refuse to let these youths in the store and if they see them outside, they ask them to leave the area.

He said they would be shouting and roaring at them but said they have male staff members so they wouldn't dare do like they did in Millbrook Market.

“A few years ago there were the same problems with West Street in Drogheda and since the Gardai started patrolling the area more, it is a lot safer. In general the summertime is worse. The kids are walking around with nothing to do and they are trying to impress their friends.”

He also told how at one stage there was a competition or dare going around one of the schools to shoplift from Boyds. “Kids who never did something like that before did it and we had parents coming in apologising. Kids have nothing to do outside school and that is a problem that also needs to be tackled.”

Gardai have confirmed that they are investigating a criminal damage incident at Millbrook Market on 5th March.