'Sick' thieves targeting struggling Sheffield businesses steal charity collection boxes

Since mid-August, three of the five businesses on one side of Ecclesfield High Street have been ransacked, causing thousands worth of damage.

Polka Dott and Cerrones Restaurant have been targeted twice, while the latest incident on Sunday (25 October) saw the till and charity boxes stolen from Cottage Fish Bar, which is providing free meals for children during half term.

Emma Fowler, who owns Polka Dott with her mother Debra Travis, described Sunday’s theft as “sick”.

She said: “It's been awful. You feel like you are getting somewhere and then it happened.

"I’ll keep going and keep fighting and it won’t stop me but it’s awful. When’s it going to end?”

Emma and Debra have spent about £5000 on repairs following two break-ins.

Karen Mills, who runs Cerrones Restaurant with her husband of one year John, added: "We’re not doing very well as it is because of the restrictions.

“It’s like being kicked when you’re already down. We’re already on a low, we just think: ‘Why are you doing that?’"

Alcohol and petty cash has been stolen from Cerrones on both occasions. The latest burglary took place on Saturday night.

Karen said: “It’s got to be youngsters because it’s not like they are breaking in for anything other than alcohol. It’s probably the same people. They are just the lowest of the low in my opinion.

"We’re not letting it get to us too much because we have to carry on. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do, we need to stay open.”

A shutter has been installed on the Polka Dott shop front, with Cerrones planning to do the same after a rock was taken from the garden of Ecclesfield Library and thrown through their front door.

Karen added: “Once we’re no longer accessible they are going to pick on someone else. They are just going to make their way through the village.”

CCTV showed a man wearing socks over his hands during the first burglary at Polka Dott to avoid leaving fingerprints.

Emma said: “We know how good the community is but we feel helpless. It’s just frustrating, the more they get away with it the more they are doing it.”

Anyone with information should call 101 quoting incident number 1414505420.