Break-in thieves steal charity money
HEARTLESS thieves have stolen four charity boxes after breaking into a Southport cafe.
A box containing the staff’s Christmas tips was also taken during the robbery at Cleveland Cafe.
The business’s owners discovered the break-in early yesterday morning (Wednesday), arriving to see that the thieves had broken the lock on the back door to gain access.
No money is left in the tills overnight, but the callous burglars instead stole the money which had been given as staff tips and donated to charities.
The cash was taken out and the empty boxes dumped outside the back of the Lord Street cafe.
The boxes were raising money for Clatterbridge Cancer Charity, the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, Southport Lifeboat Association and the Our Local Heroes Foundation.
Paul McDonald, who owns Cleveland Cafe with wife Jeanne, said that the business had suffered several break-ins since opening in 2000, but none during the past five years.
He said: “People think there’s going to be money here and they think it’s an easy target. We take the tills away each night but they’ve managed to get the charity boxes and the staff tips.
“Two of the boxes were nearly full so that’s probably £40 or £50 there.
“We’ve upgraded our security but whoever’s done this must be a professional with they way they’ve broke the lock.
“It’s very disappointing to see this, to say the least.”
A spokesman for Merseyside Police said on Wednesday: “Officers were called to Cleveland Café on Lord Street at 6.55am today, Wednesday 14 December, following reports that unknown offenders had forced entry to the property between 6.45pm on Tuesday 13 December and this morning.
“The offenders have made a search of the property before escaping with an unknown quantity of cash from charity boxes in the café.
“Anyone with any information is asked to contact Merseyside Police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.”