This Is Guernsey

Vazon Bay Cafe has been vandalised again, but this time it appears the perpetrators were looking to gain access to the premises, says manager Nick Percy. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0558163)

THIEVES attempted to break in to Vazon Bay cafe last night.

This is the third time in as many weeks that the cafe has been damaged following the storm and five windows were broken a few days later. At about midnight last night would-be intruders tried to smash a glass panel on a side door.

However, they were disturbed  by the security alarm and left before they could enter it. ‘I got a phone call about 12.30am, I think,’ said manager Nick Percy. ‘My first thought was “oh no  not again”. We had five windows smashed only two days after the storm damage and we still haven’t got that sorted out.

‘In the last couple of weeks it’s cost the taxpayer nearly a four figure sum.’

The glass had been cracked with what Mr Percy believed to be a hammer or heavy object.

However, he didn’t think that the two incidents of vandalism were linked.

‘This time I think it’s definitely an attempted break-in.

‘They must have been after the cigarettes as there’s no money left in the place.’

After the second spate of trouble, Mr Percy said that he wouldn’t be fitting CCTV cameras as they were too expensive but he will be replacing the cracked pane with reinforced glass.

He appealed to anyone who might know anything to contact the police or Crimestoppers.

John Silvester, head of estate management at Treasury and Resources which owns the cafe, said it was another example of money going to waste.

‘It’s £600 that the taxpayer will have to come up with,’ he said.

‘We get an income from kiosks which we use to make improvements which we now have to spend repairing the vandalism.

‘We want to be making improvements instead of constantly repairing vandalism.’

Police said they are investigating the matter and anyone with information is asked to call the station on 725111 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.