Calls for safety improvements following suspected ram raid at Sheffield shop

Local Liberal Democrat councillors said more needs to be done to prevent incidents such as these following concerns from residents.

Councillors said the incident happened at around 3am on Monday at Jordanthorpe Food and Wine, on Dyche Lane.

Residents said they heard loud bangs, helicopters flying overhead. Thye said the shop front had been crashed into and a till and cigarettes were stolen.

Sophie Thornton, local campaigner, called it an “appalling act of vandalism” and added: “At a time when local businesses are feeling the pinch of Covid-19 restrictions, this just adds to their difficulties.

“I’m just grateful that nobody was physically harmed.

“Unfortunately, many residents do not feel safe. We need to look into better measures to prevent this from happening again.”

The Liberal Democrats said there was CCTV inside the shop but the lack of CCTV outside has caused “growing concern”.

Councillor Richard Shaw, who spoke to a local shopkeeper that day, said: “The van appears to have come up the ramps by the Heron Foods car park.

“Previously, there were two bollards there but now there is only one. I will be asking the council to look into improving the barriers to hopefully prevent major incidents like this from happening again.”

South Yorkshire Police said it was not aware of an incident at the food and wine shop.

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