A frustrated hostel owner has released footage of the daily drug-fuelled violence forcing him to defend himself and his business.
Gary Locke owns a backpackers’ on Hutt Street in the heart of Adelaide, a once-thriving entertainment and shopping strip he said is now overrun by violent addicts.
Confronting CCTV video shows shirtless drug-users fighting in the street, destroying property and even brawling inside the hostel.
A frustrated hostel owner has released footage (pictured) of the daily drug-fuelled violence forcing him to defend himself and his business
‘They’re throwing bottles at me, they’re just constantly abusing me, throwing punches at me,’ Mr Locke told Seven News.
‘I’ve seen a little, 12-year-old boy being punched at the bus stop. ..Do I fight back or do I walk away? I can’t deal with it anymore.’
Local Councillor Alex Antic said the popular entertainment precinct has gone downhill at a rapid rate.
‘This once quiet, once very vibrant part of the city has effectively descended into a bit of a war zone,’ he said.
Gary Locke (pictured) owns a backpackers’ on Hutt Street in the heart of Adelaide, a once-thriving entertainment and shopping strip he said is now overrun by violent addicts
Footage for the hostel’s CCTV cameras shows brawling drug addicts invading the business and fighting in the lobby.
In other clips people can be seen vandalising the building, kicking objects in the street and screaming and fighting in broad daylight.
Business owners revealed the upsurge in violence is driving shopkeepers from the area, with 17 establishments closing their doors due to rampant crime.
Restaurants have been forced to remove their outdoor dining facilities, and Mr Locke has taken to defending himself and his hostel with a cricket bat.
Confronting CCTV video (pictured) shows shirtless drug-users fighting in the street, destroying property and even brawling inside the hostel
Many traders blame the street’s crime problems on the nearby Hutt Street Centre, a shelter for the homeless.
Mr Locke agreed, saying the shelter had grown quite large, and said he was constantly accosted by vagrants begging for money and cigarettes and stealing food and drinks.
The centre is visited by 200 homeless people a day, and provides meals, social work and support services including legal aid and employment training.
Daily Mail Australia contacted Hutt Street Centre for comment.
Many traders blame the street’s crime problems on the nearby Hutt Street Centre (pictured), a shelter for the homeless