Independent shop Simply Sweets on Cartergate, Newark target of break in and theft
Thieves have targeted an independent sweet shop, leaving the business with a big repair bill.
Simply Sweets on Cartergate, Newark was broken into in the early hours of Sunday morning (January 8), just before 5am.
One of the business owners, James Singer, came into the shop to find broken glass scattered on the floor after he received a message about smashed windows from a customer.
He said: "After I got the call from one of our customers, I came in to find two of our windows had been smashed and someone had stolen some bags and jars of sweets that were closest to the window.
"It looks like they'd stood on the window ledge and smashed it, so there was glass everywhere.
"They leaned in through the window, head and torso and grabbed what they could, so they didn't actually walk around which meant our alarm system didn't trigger."
The shop does have CCTV cameras, although none were pointed directly at the window. The police have been informed.
The owners have also appealed for any members of the public, local retailers, or customers who may have any footage or information to get in touch.
Luckily the shop was closed on the day of the break in, meaning they didn't lose out on any regular trade.
Although James said that the aftermath was the most difficult thing to deal with, saying: "We came in, rang the police, boarded the windows up and tried to clean up the mess.
"But obviously with us being a food establishment we have to be really careful and make sure that every last piece of glass is found and nothing is contaminated.
"Now it's the cost of replacing the stock, which could have been £60 to £70 worth and the cost of replacing the windows which we are looking at between £200 and £300 pounds.
"It's tough being a small business when costs have gone up and things like this don't help on top of that."
James said that it wasn't the first time that businesses have been targeted in the area.
He said: "Unfortunately it's not an uncommon thing.
"I know a lot of business owners that suffer from having their windows broken or their properties broken into on a regular basis in Newark. I would say at least once a week someone has had something happen.
"It's saddening because Newark has a lot of independent businesses and we all work so hard to try and run our shops and to have stupid criminals try and take advantage of that is frustrating."
N V Us Cards, also on Cartergate, had an object thrown at one of their windows, leaving large cracks across the shop front.
Owner, Vivienne Membride said: "It happened on the night of the Christmas Light switch-on.
"We weren't open that day and I got a message on Facebook to tell me that someone had smashed the window.
"It looks like it's one point where it's been hit and splintered out from there. I've got no idea how much it might cost but I'm glad it's on the insurance.
"We didn't bother reporting it. Once we had some damage to the side of the shop and all we got was an incident number.
"We've been lucky that the only other things we've had was our flowers being ripped up"
Just around the corner on Baldertongate another business, Newark Tandoori, also has a smashed windows where something appears to have been thrown at it.
