Northern Territory Police say more bottle shops in the Darwin area have been targeted, with the incidents allegedly involving knives, days after the fatal stabbing of bottle shop worker Declan Laverty.
Police charged three men in relation to separate incidents at bottle shops in Palmerston on Thursday.
They allege a 47-year-old man threatened violence and stole a credit card before returning to the bottle shop armed with a knife.
In a separate incident, police allege two men carried an edged weapon into a bottle shop, threatened violence and stole alcohol.
Police said more bottle shop-related incidents occurred overnight that are currently being investigated.
NT Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Daniel Bacon said bottle shops could have been targeted to take advantage of "heightened concern" in the community after Mr Laverty's death.
"We think there is some form of exploitation of a workforce that are generally feeling concerned," he said.
"There's potentially some exploitation of a heightened concern, which is totally understandable in regards to the individuals themselves working in hospitality industry.
"So there may be that sort of exploitation … feel[ing] that they can get away with this behaviour more. I'm here to tell them they are not, and they will not get away with it."
Mr Laverty, 20, was allegedly stabbed with a knife on Sunday night while working at a BWS drive-through in Jingili.
In the aftermath of his death, the Northern Territory government announced a review of bail laws for offences involving edged weapons, as well as measures to increase police powers and strengthen security at bottle shops.
Endeavour Drinks — which owns the BWS drive-through where Mr Laverty died — said its Darwin and Palmerston stores would be closed on Saturday.
In a statement the company said the incidents were "incredibly concerning".
"We are in regular contact with the Northern Territory government and the NT Police in relation to the tragedy that occurred on Sunday, and subsequent incidents since we reopened our stores during the week, particularly at Palmerston in the last 24 hours," the statement read.
Since Mr Laverty's death, bottle shop workers have begun stepping down from their jobs, according Shlok Sharma, the Northern Territory director of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association.
"We're aware of at least 15 individuals in the Darwin area, who quit after Monday's news just because they no longer wanted to work in the industry," he said.
Police Minister Kate Worden said the Northern Territory government had put in place immediate measures to address weapons offences in Darwin, with more police patrols at crime hotspots already happening.
She also indicated tougher alcohol restrictions could be on the table.
"We are immediately starting the work around reviewing the Bail Act and also the police powers in that space, and also making sure that there are appropriate penalties associated with this very new emergence we are seeing around the carrying of weapons and violent crime," she said.
