More Market Drayton shops hit by thieves
A coffee shop and clothes shop have become the latest properties to become a target for thieves in a town.
The Nothing to Wear Dress Agency and Jones's Coffee House in Market Drayton were broken into by thieves on the same evening.
The break-ins occurred between about 11pm and 12am on Thursday.
A member of staff at Jones's Coffee House, who did not want to be named, said: "It looks like they used a crowbar to break the locks on the side of the property.
"They damaged the door frame and stole hundreds of pounds from the safe.
"I only heard about the church being broken into the other day. It is not very good at all."
She added it was the first time the shop had been broken into by thieves.
No one from Nothing to Wear Dress Agency was available to comment.
The latest breaks-in happened just days after thieves targeted a church in the town and a farm on the outskirts of town.
Raiders who broke into St Mary's Church caused hundreds of pounds of damage to a stained glass window and stole cash from an honesty box.
Police said they removed a security grate from the rear window at the church before breaking a section of glass.
They then searched through cupboards and doors and made off with £50 of cash during the raid, which happened between 7.30pm on September 20 and 7.30am the following day.
Meanwhile, about £1,000 was taken during a break-in at Fordhall Farm which happened between 8pm on September 20 and 6am the following day
Charlotte Hollins, who runs the farm with her brother Ben, said she believed about £1,000 might have been taken.
On September 11 a variety of hair salon products worth hundreds of pounds were taken from Hair Boulevard in Daleands West.
Buttercross Tea Rooms in Cheshire Street has also had its door smashed recently and prior to that more than £400 was stolen from Barnardo's charity shop in the town.
It is not known if all the offences are linked.
Councillor Roy Aldcroft, mayor of Market Drayton, said he was disappointed that thieves had begun local businesses.
He said: "I think it is shocking.
"People need to be keeping their eyes open and trying to start up neighbourhood watch schemes within their estates."
Anyone with any information about the offences should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
