A coffee shop has suffered a fourth break-in in just two years but the owner says she is determined to continue trading despite the latest setback.
Froth Coffee and Sandwich Lounge in Lisburn, near Belfast, lost cash, confectionery and charity collection boxes in the latest burglary, which happened last weekend. The shop has increased its security measures after each break-in, but thieves have managed to get through the additional defences.
Good security is vital if you are leaving items of value on your premises overnight. However, it’s also important to make sure you have a good business insurance policy and restaurant or café insurance to cover you both for losses and any damage caused to your premises.
Karen Campbell, who has run Froth Coffee for nearly five years, said support from local people has made her determined to carry on trading.
She told Belfast Live: “This is the fourth time and after each time we do something different to up security.
"They brought a portable grinder of some description this time and put it through the bars we put up last time. They went through three dead locks too, they really went to a lot of bother for what they got."
She is now planning to install an alarm system in addition to the physical security measures in place at the café.
The shop lost around £1,000 in takings when it was first burgled two years ago then suffered a second attempted break-in just a fortnight later. Six months after that, thieves tried their luck again. In the latest burglary, around £300 was stolen.
Ms Campbell said: "It's like a community hub here and they are encouraging me to keep going. It is heartbreaking. The fifth time might be a different story.
"When I came in I cried for like five minutes but then you get up and get on with things."
