A west Suffolk village shop – thought to be the oldest in Britain – has been broken into, with thieves gaining entry by smashing a glass door before making off with the till.
According to the East Anglian Daily Times, the Grade II listed Boxford Stores – which has a recorded trading history that dates back to 1420 – was targeted at 02:30 in the morning of April 7th.
Suffolk police were called out, with the dog unit in force as well in order to search for the perpetrators on the ground. A spokesman from the local police force confirmed that inquiries are now taking place, although no arrests have yet been made.
Richard Haining, who runs the store’s post office, said the offenders made off empty-handed because the tills are emptied each night, but went on to add: “It could have been a lot different. But it’s pretty awful as we are putting ourselves at risk every day by being open during the virus.”
The shop has succeeded in opening its doors very quickly indeed following the incident, with the broken window already boarded up and the shop manager having already been out to buy a new till.
Businesses all over the UK would certainly be wise to keep an eye on their premises over the coming weeks and months to ensure that they’re properly protected, especially if you’ve had to shut up shop because of social distancing and self-isolation measures.
Burglars are sure to try and take advantage of vacant sites, so do all you can to protect your business interests now.