Burglars target restaurant for fifth time this year as police acknowledge ‘particular increase’ in city centre break-ins

The raid at Gyros Bros, on Wood Street, is the 63rd offence of commercial burglary in the area during the past six months.

West Yorkshire Police said today that there has been a “particular increase” in city centre burglaries since January.

Three arrests have been made in over the break-in which took place around 3.15am today (March 9).

Gyros Bros is opposite Wakefield Town Hall, where the city’s MP, police and council chiefs plan to meet with members of the business community on Friday (March 10) to discuss the problem of city centre crime and anti-social behaviour.

The owner said the break-ins have so far cost the business around £10,000.

She said: “They smashed the door in just to steal four bottles of vodka this time. Another time I lost £800. The real cost comes from replacing the damage.

“I’d arranged to have security roller shutters fitted to all of the windows 8am. But the burglars were here five hours before the workmen.”

It emerged last month that many of Wakefield Council’s CCTV cameras are currently out of use, including those in the city centre and Ossett.

The owner said she had resorted to sitting in her car outside the restaurant on some nights in a bid to deter criminals.

She added: “I am totally drained from trying to make a living, constantly dealing with the break-ins and having to patrol my own business premises.

“We don’t look like we are being protected by the police or the council and something needs to be done.

“If I am paying business rate I shouldn’t be having to go through this.”

Before today’s incident, West Yorkshire Police said there have been 62 offences of commercial burglary recorded in the Wakefield north council ward in the past six months.

The area includes the city centre, Peacock, Flanshaw and St Johns areas.

A police spokesperson said there has been “a particular increase” in offences since January.

During this time, 21 people have been arrested for a total of 57 offences. A number of those arrested are currently on bail with conditions including curfews.

Police said regular checks are made to ensure they are abiding by their bail conditions and where breaches are found people are being further arrested.

Of those arrested, six people have been charged. Two are on remand awaiting sentencing and a third appeared at court this week charged with 17 offences.

Three people have been sentenced, with two receiving immediate custodial sentences and the third receiving a suspended sentence.

Inspector Paul Fraser, of Wakefield central neighbourhood policing team, said “We are aware of the significant concerns of local businesses and residents alike following a series of commercial burglaries in the city centre and other associated anti-social behaviour.

“We know that businesses have faced unprecedented challenges in recent years and that this spate of incidents is causing understandable stress and anxiety.

“I would like to reassure business owners that we are taking these issues extremely seriously and have arrested and charged a number of individuals with offences, with several sentenced or awaiting sentence at court.”

Insp Fraser said neighbourhood officers are continuing to conduct high visibility patrols in the area, including carrying out curfew checks to ensure that those who should not be in the city centre are abiding by their conditions.

He added: “In addition to our increased presence in the city centre, we are being innovative in our policing approach.

“This has included the use of forensic marking technology such as a fog machine that was installed in a premise that had been a repeat victim of burglary.

“The business was targeted again, and the machine activated with officers being able to identify and arrest the suspects nearby who were in possession of stolen property.

“We know we can’t just arrest our way out of these issues though and need to prevent these offences from happening in the first place. This is not something that the police can do by ourselves.

“We are working with our partners to take a problem-solving approach that looks at the root causes of offending and anti-social behaviour and what can be done to prevent and deter this kind of behaviour.”