The local MLA, who took a strong interest, said that there was no public funding for this case. Arson attack victims rely solely on insurance and charity.
Gem, who had invested all his savings in buying, renovating and stocking his shop, and had reinvested all profits ever since, was only insured for a mere $30,000, the maximum any Australian insurance company would cover him for, based on the size of his shop. That was $150,000 less than what it was worth.
Gautam ‘Gem’ Gautam bought the Busy Bee Deli on 9 May 2014. At that time, the shop was fairly run down by its previous owner, a single mom without staff. When Gem took over, customers suddenly noticed a lot of positive changes. Not only, did the products become more relevant to the needs of the clients, but there was also a noticeable change in attitude. He gradually renovated the shop and turned it into a mini-supermarket. Neighbours increasingly popped by to pick up items that they urgently needed, such a bottle of milk, a loaf of bread, a pack of coffee or a light bulb.
The night of Tuesday, 13 October 2015, Gem left the shop as per usual, at around 8:10 pm. 3 hours later, Gem received a phone call on his mobile from a regular customer who lives next door to the shop. He was crying and told Gem that the whole shopping strip was on fire. “Come quick, come quick,” he said. Gem rushed to the shop, which was only a few hundred meters away from his home.
The best way to describe Gautam 'Gem' Gautam is as a hard-working people person. He has lived in Australia since 2004.
Busy Bee Deli Arson Appeal
Bankwest
BSB 306 095
Acc 0243251
