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'We lost all of our morning trade' - businesses fearful after more break-ins

Mark SimpsonCommunity correspondent, BBC News NI
News imageBBC Gareth McKinstry, with short dark hair and a black t-shirt, standing in front of his chipshopBBC
Gareth McKinstry, owner of Simply Fish & Chips, said it was a costly incident

Pride weekend is one of the busiest of the year for many city centre businesses, but for one chip shop owner Saturday morning was spent filing police reports after his shop became the latest to be targeted in Belfast.

Last week a café owner warned the situation was at a "tipping point" after his premises were targeted.

Two more businesses nearby have since been broken into and money stolen.

Gareth McKinstry, who owns Simply Fish & Chips, said it was a costly incident.

"Saturday was Pride day and it was meant to be one of our busiest days of the year and we lost all of our morning trade because we couldn't open the shop until the police had finished with their investigation," McKinstry said.

The break-in happened at about 02:00 BST on Saturday.

Belfast is preparing to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city for the all-Ireland music and dance festival, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, which begins on Sunday.

McKinstry said he now needs to work to get the shop ready for the festival.

"I need to get repairs for the window. It's not what we needed and it's not what anybody in Belfast needs, but it seems to be becoming a more common thing happening at the moment."

News imageInside a chipshop. Two tables with yellow and black tape in front. Window has been smashed away.
The break-in at Simply Fish & Chips happened at about 02:00 BST on Saturday morning.

The latest shops to be burgled were Simply Fish & Chips on Oxford Street, and Juko cafe on Gloucester Street. They are a five-minute walk from The Pocket café which was broken into on 18 July.

The latest break-ins were captured on CCTV.

News imageShane McGann with light short hair and a white top with 'Juko'. He is standing in front of the cafe which also has the shop name on it over a blue background. The building is grey.
Shane McGann is the director of Juko

Juko was targeted around 02:30 BST on Monday.

Shane McGann, a director of Juko, said security at the café was being reviewed after what happened.

He said: "I hope nothing like this happens in Belfast again. Unfortunately, there's been a spate of burglaries across Belfast city centre over the last few weeks.

"Hopefully we're the last. Thankfully we've had a great police response.

"But I think our biggest fear is that we're sitting on the cusp of the Fleadh, and we know that Belfast is about to be on the world stage next week. I suppose things like this just don't shed Belfast in the light that we're trying to show the city."

Two men, aged 32 and 38, have been arrested.

Police are continuing to investigate recent incidents.

A PSNI spokesperson said: "Enquiries are ongoing, we would appeal to anyone who saw anything or who might have any information – including CCTV, dash-cam or other footage – to contact police."