Three Southsea shops damaged and broken into during crime spree

THREE shops in Southsea were damaged and broken into in the early hours of this morning.
The damage to the front door of Absolute Running, in Southsea.The damage to the front door of Absolute Running, in Southsea.
The damage to the front door of Absolute Running, in Southsea.

Police have received reports of three incidents at a running shop, lettings agency and opticians.

Officers are currently investigating if the incidents are linked.

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One of the shops involved was Absolute Running, on Grove Road South.

Owner Nick Carter said the front door was smashed in and the till stolen.

He said: ‘Quite a few shops in this area have been damaged recently so we aren’t totally surprised it’s happened to us.

‘I got a call at around 1am this morning saying the shop had been broken into.

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‘It has made me really angry as we’ve only been here four months.

‘We have worked hard to establish this business and short of living on the premises, which I don’t want to do, I am not sure what else can be done.

‘So far, we have think only the till and card machine have been stolen which means we can’t trade for the new couple of days.

‘We need to do a full stock take though to see if anything else was taken.’

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The front door of the shop was knocked off its hinges and will be expensive to replace.

Nick, who also owns the Absolute Running store in Gosport, added: ‘The building is a listed building so the door needs to be replaced exactly as it was.

‘It is going to be expensive, even with the insurance covering some of it.’

The till had £50 in it but Nick said loss of trade will hit them most.

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A spokesman from Hampshire police confirmed they were called at 1.13am this morning to reports of a suspected burglary in progress at Absolute Running.

He added officers are continuing to carry out enquiries.

He also said in a similar incident on the same night, between 1am and 1.15am, a lettings agency on Marmion Road was broken into, but it is unknown at this time if anything was taken.

Similarly, Percy Harrison Opticians on Elm Grove was broken into at around 2am this morning. A charity box has been reported stolen.

As previously reported in The News Belgian bar Huis was broken into and damaged in March while Jam and Bowler, in Victoria Road South, had £150 stolen also in March.

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Anyone with information, or who saw anyone acting suspiciously in these areas around this time, is asked to contact police on 101 quoting 44170184637 for Grove Road South; 44170184638 for Marmion Road and 44170184665 for Elm Grove.