CAFÉ Decks in the Recreation Ground in Kingsbridge was broken in to, leaving the owner worried for her safety.

The café, which isn’t open during the winter, was found to have its back door damaged and cash, a six-slice toaster and a large box of coffee was stolen.

Marika Byrne, owner of the café, hadn’t visited the property in three weeks and went down to the Recreation Ground on Tuesday to start preparing to open this week.

‘Its so upsetting’, said Marika, ‘they’ve smashed the back door in and have gone through the shed too. I need to work out how to secure it. It makes you worry, I often stay in there cooking.’

Marika said she suspected the culprits had ‘sawed’ through the panel on the door with a straight edge and that she was ‘surprised’ no one heard anything, as it is a ‘substantial door’.

She continued to say that their had been a recent spate of vandalism in the area, such as the ripping down and burning of sign boards, but that it tends not to happen when she is on site.

The break in could have occurred at anytime in the last three weeks but police suspect it was ‘probably in the last 24 hours’.

‘I just hope they catch them’, continued Marika, ‘I was hoping to open this week and now that’s been set back. It’s such a shame, it’s a community space with public toilets, its for everyone.’

Kingsbridge Police posted on Facebook saying: ‘If anybody can assist us into this investigation then please get in touch quoting Log 260 230216.’