A York food spot was broken into this morning in what the owner is calling a “sign of the times.”
The front door of Shambles Kitchen was smashed in the early hours, as one or more burglars forced their way into the takeaway business.
As the sandwich shop operates on a cashless basis, nothing was stolen. However, owner Simon Long said the door will now need replacing.
The incident comes amid a reported rise in crime in York city centre, and follows a spate of anti-social behaviour on the Shambles during the last school holidays.
Simon told YorkMix, “I think people are quite desperate, it’s happening more and more that people are turning to crime. Times are harder, and people have less money to spend.”
He said the break-in happened at around 6am, with the lock broken and the door smashed in half.
“We’ve been here 17 years and never had a break-in, but according to the police and locals it’s quite a regular occurrence in the city centre at the moment.”
Simon is thankful it’s only the door that needs replacing, and that the shop could continue trading as normal today. But he’s concerned for those driven to such acts.
“Aside from the issue that’s directly affected me, it’s a wider societal issue. People have less money, more people are desperate and they need support, which they’re not getting.”