RAIDERS caused more than £2,000 worth of damage and fled with cash after breaking into a Dorchester coffee shop and restaurant.

The thieves smashed their way into the Walnut Grove in Durngate Street between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Police have appealed for witnesses after the raid.
The thieves broke in by smashing a rear window in the kitchen and stole around £100 but also damaged the till and window.

Owner Nicola Cutler said it is the third time the cafe has been broken into and the till will cost around £2,000 to replace.

She added: “It is quite upsetting and not very nice.
“They also stole a pack of bacon, which is quite odd.”
A worker described discovering the damage on Sunday morning – just hours before guests for Sunday lunch were due to arrive.

Staff managed to clear up and open in time for Sunday morning service and lunch.

She said: “When I opened the door, the first thing I noticed was that the till was smashed over the cooker.
“I looked up and saw the kitchen window had also been smashed, which is where they came in through.”

Inspector Steve Marsh, of Dorchester police, has appealed for witnesses to the break-in.

He said: “If anybody saw anything suspicious on Saturday, or if they know of someone who has been paying for goods using lots of small change, we would like to hear from them.”

Town councillor David Taylor said the impact of the raid had more effect than just the cash taken.

He said: “It must be very annoying for the owners that revenue now has to go into replacing the damaged till.

These thieves haven’t thought about the consequences of their actions.

“It’s not just the money they’ve taken but what it costs to repair the damage that’s been done.

“This is a most unusual case for Dorchester.
“Dorchester is a quiet town that looks after its own and it is very sad when things like this happen.”

The Echo reported how the cafe was raided in 2010, when the intruder smashed a door and a window and stole a stereo.

Anyone with information should call Dorset Police on 101.

MAYOR of Dorchester Andy Canning said he would like to reassure residents in the county town that major crime was very rare in the area.

He said: “Dorchester is a very low crime area but obviously from time to time more serious criminal offences take place.”

He added: “Serious crime is very rare in Dorchester, we will aim to make sure it stays that way.”