Fawkner milk bar owner fighting back after spate of incidents in Melbourne’s north

A defiant milk bar owner targeted by violent thugs and an alleged arsonist is fighting back after several incidents left him at breaking point.

Nathir claims he was assaulted by ‘scumbags’ who vandalised his store in Melbourne‘s north earlier this year before armed thieves returned several months later to cause more extensive damage.

The second incident in June forced the Fawkner business owner to shut up shop for almost two months and lost an estimated $25,000 in takings during that time.

Less than a week after the milk bar reopened earlier this month, an alleged arsonist tried to set the shop on fire early one morning while Nathir was sleeping upstairs.

Still sporting bruises from the attack five months ago, he refuses to give in to the thugs who tried to destroy his livelihood.

He has installed an alarm on his shutters, keeps his store locked and now has a cricket bat close by to fend off attackers.

 

‘If I close the shop or sell my business, that means they’re winning. No. I want them to get arrested and jailed,’ he told A Current Affair.

‘When they try to shut you up, you need to speak louder. That’s the only way.’

He has set up a YouTube account to share footage of the alleged attackers and the damage caused.

‘The reason for it is to just make people aware…..if they do something silly, it’s going to be there,’ he added.

‘The law has to change as there’s more crimes going on and when it’s soft, they think they can get away with it.’

The business owner said the trouble began in February when two men allegedly harassed a female customer in his store.

‘These two guys, first time I seen them … they come into my shop and (with) my customer, insulting her. I said to them, ‘you both, two guys, I don’t want you in my shop’, he gets angry,’ Nathir recalled.

The business owner was spat on and had a bottle of water thrown at him after he intervened in the altercation.

Nathir alleged a third man not involved in the initial argument then attacked him from behind, punched him in the eye and smashed him into a glass cabinet.

He claims he recognised one of the men outside the milk bar three months later.

‘He replied, ‘do you want me to knock you again?’ I said, “just wait, I’m going to call the police”,’ he recalled.

‘After a few days, I decided to put his photo on the cupboard of the cigars there.’

Several weeks, three armed men were captured on CCTV allegedly smashing through the store’s front door to vandalise and raid the store before jumping behind the counter to rip down the photo.

Footage of the aftermath shows the trail of destruction, including smashed glass doors of the ice cream freezers and drinks fridges, along with confectionery strewn all over the floor.

Less than a week after the milk bar reopened, an alleged arsonist attempted to set the store alight in the early hours of August 6.

The alleged arsonist was captured on CCTV cutting the lock on the store’s security shutter before making a hole in the window to pour a liquid inside.

But he was unsuccessful in setting the store alight and later returned with a lighter but was still unable to set the premises on fire.

‘I was sleeping, and I woke up and smelled something like petrol but didn’t know what it was,’ Nathir said.

‘They tried to set the shop on fire. If they lit it up, I might be dead.’

Victoria Police has confirmed a Craigieburn man, 18, was charged over the alleged arson attempt.

He was charged with attempted criminal damage by fire, aggravated burglary and damage-related offences and granted bail to appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in November.

Investigations into the June and February incidents at the Major Road premises continue.

‘Police are working to establish the exact circumstances around these incidents, and the investigations are ongoing,’ a spokesperson said.

Anyone who witnessed or has information about the incidents is urged to call Crime Stoppers.