Overview
- Police say they are investigating burglaries on September 16 and 18 at the West Dulwich café, arriving within minutes after an alarm, with no arrests reported.
- The owner reports repeated overnight raids despite upgraded deterrents including CCTV, shock sensors, outdoor alarms and smoke devices, with intruders cutting power, turning cameras, and prising open storage with cutting tools.
- Successive break-ins have trashed the site and stripped stock, with alcohol frequently targeted and about 100 Magnum ice creams reported stolen, prompting the café to stop selling alcohol.
- Unable to insure the temporary outdoor premises, the owner says she is covering theft and damage herself and estimates about £18,000 a year in extra staffing tied to security tasks.
- A GoFundMe has raised more than £600, and the case is being linked to wider retail crime pressures, with 93,705 shoplifting incidents reported in London in the year to March 2025, up 54% year on year according to Metro.