Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

So there's been a link between a spike in dairy robberies and our tobacco tax hikes.The tobacco tax came into place in 2016.At the same time, reported store robberies went from 41 to 136 in 2016, and to 200 the year after.This is leaving more dairy owners traumatised and injured, as they seem to be taking the hit from the extremes some are going to get tobacco.Sunny Kaushal, from the Crime Prevention Group, which was set up to advocate for dairies after robberies increased, told Kate Hawkesby the price increases have forced people to source their cigarettes by alternative means.“That has been putting a lot of hard working people into dangerous situations because the smokers who are not able to buy smokes, they are either going to the black market, or they’re going to the crime side.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.