When the moon rises above Kingswood’s notorious shopping strip on the Great Western Highway, no one wants to be outside – fearing the repercussions of an interaction with someone looking for trouble.
The death of pizza shop owner Sonmez Alagoz – known to the local business community as John – has prompted questions about the strip of shops that many locals avoid.
Alagoz was fatally stabbed just after 10pm on Tuesday, February 4 and later died. A teenager has been charged with his murder.
An anonymous local worker, who chose to hide her identity to protect her workplace, said the street never felt safe.
“Sometimes people come to the front of the store at night and shout. They steal cans from the fridge and run away,” she explained, somewhat reluctantly.
“Police do patrol at night, but the area doesn’t feel safe.”
Another anonymous business owner said the tragic death of The Pizza Stop owner has impacted her business.
“We open very early, and people are too scared to come,” she said while working behind the counter.
“There needs to be a change, and we need a bigger police presence. I’m a new business owner and this is something I haven’t seen in other areas.”
For stores that close at 5pm, it’s business as usual, but workers attribute that to their daytime opening hours.
“During the day it’s OK,” Shai from AllFish2U stated.
“But it’s definitely a scary situation being only five doors down, it could’ve happened to anyone.”
Joh from Kingswood Florist shared Shai’s sentiment, explaining the store no longer extends its hours for special occasions.
“We used to do that on Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day many years ago until one day there was a group of drunk people that came from the hotel, after that I said we’re not doing night-time hours anymore,” Joh explained.
“Once the sun goes down, 5 o’clock, we’re gone.”
Following an enquiry about the cracks in her storefront window, the florist told the Weekender there should be a bigger police presence.
“That’s the third attempt, now I leave it there,” she said.
“I find that when you get it fixed, someone will smash it again, so I just leave it smashed.”
Ben from Action Communications, a CB radio store neighbouring The Pizza Stop, explained there’s always been stigma attached to Kingswood.
“We’ve always had a degree of trouble because we’re in a low socio-economic area and we have a pharmacy that dispenses methadone and we have a drug and alcohol clinic at the end of the street,” Ben said.
“A lot of the issues aren’t caused by people who live here, they’re people who visit here. It attracts a certain clientele.”
Ben’s been at the Kingswood business for 28 years and believes it’s time young offenders get more than a slap on the wrist.
“I have five children, they all know that was wrong, and none of them would’ve done that,” he declared.
The suburb’s questionable reputation hasn’t impacted everyone; Dee from Country Brewer explained there’s trouble everywhere, not just in Kingswood.
“I knew the family and I’m shaken by the tragedy,” Dee began.
“I’ve never felt in danger, and I’ve lived here for 13 years.”
Kingswood’s housing market is also unaffected, according to Glenmore Park Realty Sales Consultant Ralph Saporito.
“We haven’t had a problem selling what we have there,” Saporito explained.
“We had a property in Kingswood on the weekend and it sold at the first open home.”
A NSW Police spokesperson said Nepean Police Area Command reviews instances of crime on an ongoing basis and in line with community needs.
“Police are tasked to complete high visibility patrols in addition to responding to calls for service in identified areas based on this ongoing review,” the spokesperson stated.
“In addition, members of the Command work closely with the local community to prevent crime and address community safety through joint initiatives and collaboration.”
But after years of locals avoiding their own shops, and business owners fearing trouble, perhaps it’s time for a re-think on what the future holds for this row of shops.
Ally Hall
Ally Hall joined the Weekender in 2024, and focuses on entertainment and community stories. She's a graduate of the University of South Australia and has previously worked as a Video Journalist with Southern Cross Austereo and as a News Reader with Australian Radio Network.