A months-long wait for permission is the reality for some businesses desperate to get bollards installed to prevent ram-raids.
For one Auckland liquor store hit multiple times, the process has taken too long and now they're picking up the pieces.
The floor was a mess of smashed bottles and alcohol after yet another overnight ram-raid attack on a liquor store in the Auckland suburb of Orakei.
"We have a chain of seven to eight stores and this is like the eighth time in three months," said Orakei Fine Wines and Spirits manager Anuj Shah.
Shah said even with insurance it'll set them back $40,000.
Money, he said, could have been spared if the council had approved his application for permission to have bollards installed sooner. He's willing to pay for the bollards but without the consent, he can't move forward.
"There was no response from Auckland Council for the last four months," said Shah.
Auckland Transport handles the bollard application process.
"We are trying to find out where the communication has kind of been a bit of a bottleneck," a spokesperson told Newshub.
Even businesses hit months ago are still waiting for help. The Hilltop Superette dairy on the Parnell strip has been one of the many victims of ram-raids across Auckland. The owner is in the final stages of approval to get bollards installed. It's been a months-long process and owner Kalbesh Patel said he is "obviously not" happy with how long it's been taking.
Patel said his application process to get bollards installed has taken three months.
"I was told that I will have to get permission from Auckland Council," he told Newshub.
The Government announced a $6 million package announced in May to help affected store owners to pay for protection like bollards but there are concerns it's not reaching those who need it.
"I haven't heard any dairy owners that I know of that have been approached," Patel said.
"In New Zealand there are over 6000 dairies, at least two-thirds of them are impacted or seriously need the bollards. But they don't know how to access the funding," added Dairy and Business Owners' Group chair Sunny Kaushal.
Because these hard-working Kiwis are growing tired of cleaning up the mess.
