Staff anger as cafe is raided for second time
Ray Paterson, a chef at the Penguin Cafe in Lee-on-the-Solent
WORKERS at a popular cafe have spoken of their shock after nearly £2,000 was taken in a burglary.
Thieves took a safe containing £1,500 after breaking into the Penguin Cafe in Lee-on-the-Solent.
They also stole £300 in coins from the shop’s till.
The staff who work there are now bracing themselves for a tough month ahead as they try to make up for the loss.
They have also installed alarms and CCTV cameras to stop it happening again.
Ray Paterson, a chef at the cafe in Marine Parade West, said: ‘We are only a small business and to be hit like this obviously makes things hard for us.
‘We’re going to find it hard now for the next month.
‘I found out it had happened because I was the one who was opening up – I was quite shocked.
‘It knocks the staff as well because we have worked hard to make that money.’
It is the second time the cafe has been burgled.
More cash was stolen in a raid in October last year.
As a result of the thefts, money is no longer left on the site overnight.
Mr Paterson added: ‘It feels a bit like we are being targeted.
‘It seems like it could have been the same person that did it. We hope people will give us all the support they can to help us.’
Hampshire Constabulary has put out an appeal for information.
The break-in happened at some point between 7pm on New Year’s Day and 7.35am on Monday.
Oil drums placed in front of the shop’s back door had been moved out of the way.
A panel was then removed from the door for the burglars to get in.
Anyone with information should call PC Samantha Gee at Gosport police station on 101. Information can also be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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Comments
There are 21 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
Seaward Sid
Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 02:58 PMComment removed by moderator
rickey
Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 01:47 PMSeaward Sid@16 aka Martin Hayward. If its considered, by you, to be wimpish to hide behind a made up name why did you chose to use Seaward Sid instead of your real name? Glass houses and stones come to mind. If you must reply do try writing something that does not include stupid or idiot it does show you to be both.
armchair reporter
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 06:55 AMThe whole thing was a staged break-in, the only people that wernt involved were the part-time staff. Insurance wont be paying out, so not sure what the crime is, wasting police time i suppose, all be in the news end of this week!
get_off_the_fence
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 08:36 PMJust to clarify, do you mean the owners were being robbed by a member of staff? Not an insurance scam then.
armchair reporter
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 05:24 PMJust to let everyone know that police have made an arrest today, and it was an inside job, so Ray Paterson...you should feel ashamed of yourself!
Seaward Sid
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 04:26 PMAlready phoned you stupid idiot! im also not hiding the fact, Martin Hayward Cols Cars, Pier Street, unlike all you other wimps hiding behind your email addresses.
Mikethebike
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 11:22 AMAt the risk of being called an idiot which seems to be a theme on here! I would suggest that if Seaward Sid is in possession of any evidence regarding this break in, that perhaps he does what is stated at the bootom of the article and hands it over to the Police. Instead he just seems to be content in anonymously posting slanderous comments on here based on supposed "hearsay". I await the reply - no doubt idiot or stupid will be in there somewhere.
Seaward Sid
Monday, January 9, 2012 at 10:48 PMits idiots like this that bump up my insurance with their fake claims, just because things are quite they think that a fake break in will boost things up! If you are wondering where i get my info from then they should look no further than their own staff, theres a certain blabber mouth that is really doing them no good.
get_off_the_fence
Monday, January 9, 2012 at 08:02 PMSeaward Sid - I could be wrong but I am guessing that you do not run a Charity Shop. I have never heard such an uncharitable response to a fellow Lee on the Solent traders plight. Their actions, if maybe a little naive do not deserve the remarks you are making on here. Perhaps you could pay them a visit and give them the benefit of your wisdom. I'm sure they would be pleased to hear it.
Seaward Sid
Monday, January 9, 2012 at 04:54 PMGrumpy64, you really are stupid, a simple alarm, you know the sort that goes off when a window or door gets smashed, where have i said steel shutters or guards patrolling, i see that this fake insurance claim has you fooled, but im glad to see that the claim was rejected by the insurance company...lol love it!
Grumpy64
Monday, January 9, 2012 at 02:04 PMget_off_the_fence you are absolutely correct. It is idiots like Seaward Sid who seem to be advocating that all the shops in Lee should have steel shutters and guards patrolling. If that is the kind of society he is advocating then perhaps he should move to an inner city area where he will feel quite at home. The logical extension of the 'he was asking for it' argument is that rape is OK on the basis of the way a woman dresses. I wonder if someone got mugged he would argue that they deserved it for going out alone? The criminals are the guilty ones here, not the victims, and perhaps if we had prison sentences which reflected the pain and upset caused by these types of crime we might have a few less victims and a few more villains who decide to earn a wage for a living.
Seaward Sid
Monday, January 9, 2012 at 06:31 AMGet_off_the_fence, you sound like a bigger idiot than Mr Paterson, how can someone break into my shophome if i lock the door and set the alarm, and no i have never been broken into because i am aware of the scum thats out there. If he had an alarm it would of woken up all of pier street, marine parade east and west, and proberly the high street too! The mans a fool for not getting an alarm after the first break in, and to be honest the police are treating this as suspicious as i found out yesterday, i am also a shop owner in Lee.
Ginger Howards Right Fist
Monday, January 9, 2012 at 06:18 AMWhile I'm not saying it was an inside job, it has to be said that with no alarms and CCTV, leaving money overnight on the premises is particularly foolish (in hindsight).
get_off_the_fence
Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 06:39 PMThe comments of all these small minded people 5,6 & 7 never fail to amaze me. How would they feel if someone broke into their homes and stole their possessions? Would it be their fault if they had locked the door before leaving for work and set an alarm? It is always easy to be critical of others but just how much money are business owners expected to spend on security? The people at fault here are the burglars and not the victims of this crime. It is a real shame that the perception of so many people these days is that it is OK for criminals to burgle and if you have not taken every possible precaution to prevent it then it is your own fault. What a sad society we live in!
udontknow
Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 10:52 AMThis sounds like it was an inside job? He said he heard they did it because he was opening? Who told him and how did they find out? Keep the til money safe either have 2 til money 1 the workers and closing takes home and 1 the opening. worker brings in?
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