Deer Park Post Office owner Dung Nguyen was stabbed to death at his store, inset, last week. Regular customers like Darcy Mingovski paid their respects. The shocking incident adds to a growing list of violent attacks on the notorious shopping stretch. 74764 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
BY Laura Wakely
SCARED Deer Park traders have called for safer streets after a murder on the Ballarat Rd shopping strip last week.
The body of 48-year-old Dung Nguyen was discovered by his family at around 8.30pm on Tuesday night at the Deer Park Post Office.
Mr Nguyen had been stabbed multiple times in an attack police described as “horrific”.
Bacchus Marsh 32-year-old Riad Barbour was arrested at about 2.20pm on Thursday charged with murder and armed robbery.
Police allege he took more than $12,000 after stabbing Mr Nguyen with a knife and a wooden table leg.
Barbour has been remanded in custody to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in April next year.
Tuncel Irgat, who owns a kebab shop on the Ballarat Rd shopping strip, said he heard Mr Nguyen’s daughter crying out “dad, dad, dad” on the night of the murder.
He said Mr Nguyen was a “quiet man” who was hard-working and friendly.
Mr Irgat said traders had been trying to convince Brimbank City Council to close off the carpark at the back of the shopping strip, increase lighting in the area and install cameras.
Mr Irgat was stabbed with a syringe at his shop last year, and was one of several shopkeepers targeted in a series of unrelated crimes including bashings, armed robberies and drug offences (Syringe attack, 17 August 2010, Star).
Another shop owner, who did not want to give his name, said his employees had been stalked, and that he had been robbed multiple times.
“I thought it was getting better for a while but… not anymore,” the shop owner said.
Some traders have even taken to arming themselves with weapons, fearing they could be next.
Mr Irgat said police had supported the traders, but that they were limited in what they could do.
“They (council) have to put cameras here, they have to light it up, council have to do something,” Mr Irgat said.
“We’ve talked to the council but they do nothing. They ignore it.”
Star contacted Brimbank Council but they did not respond before Star went to print.
Brimbank Police Inspector Mick Grainger said he wasn’t aware that the Ballarat Rd shops had become a trouble spot for crime, although he acknowledged it had been in the past.
“We did a doorknock yesterday where we dropped letters and spoke to people,” Insp Grainger said.
“We want to assure them we’re out and about 24/7 and I’m really open to hearing those (concerns).”
