The Margan Ave store, which opened in 2008, took home a trove of top honours including three gold medals at last years\u2019 100% New Zealand Bacon and Ham Awards.<\/p>\n
Owner Reuben Sharples said the incident was particularly upsetting given the butcher\u2019s strong focus on \u201cbacking the community\u201d, including regular donations to food banks and families \u201cdoing it tough\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe work bloody hard,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re here to feed the community… not be taken from by it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reuben Sharples, owner\/operator of Aussie Butcher New Lynn.<\/p>\n
Sharples added that the store frequently supports grassroots sport, supplying pre-cooked sausages at cost to help teams fundraise.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust this week alone, more than 10 community sports teams have asked us for donations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Facebook users flooded the comments with messages of support, praising the butcher\u2019s \u201camazing\u201d community involvement and condemning the theft.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou guys work so hard to run an awesome business and you\u2019re always doing great things for the community,\u201d one wrote, calling the incident sad and unfair.<\/p>\n
Aussie Butcher New Lynn was targeted by a shoplifter. Photo \/ Facebook<\/p>\n
Another commenter said they had attended an event the butcher had generously supported, adding it was \u201cshocking\u201d people would steal when help was readily available.<\/p>\n
The store, which claims to be Google\u2019s number-one rated butcher in Auckland, said it understood many people were struggling, but shoplifting was not the answer.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are places to go. There is help available,\u201d the post said.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome and talk to us. Talk to someone. But don\u2019t steal from small local businesses trying to do the right thing.\u201d<\/p>\n