A number of shops in Caddens have been broken into overnight leaving business owners with thousands of dollars’ worth of damage.
In the early hours of this morning a group of young people allegedly broke into at least four shops at Caddens Corner, including Paradise Charcoal Chicken, Falak Indian Cuisine and Taste Baguette.
“Between 1am and 2am in the morning about four young boys with their faces covered and wearing gloves got into four different businesses,” Paradise Charcoal Chicken owner Saayed Gamal told the Weekender.
“They’ve broken in through the windows, taken money from the till, even took a till with them as well.
“The front entry door of my shop has been broken, and they’ve taken the till with the cable still attached and I had a little bit of money in it as well.”
It was a morning like any other for Gamal before a phone call from his father broke the news to him.
“My father normally comes early before anyone else and he’s the one who called me to say someone has broken into the shop, come quick,” Gamal said.
“By the time I came police forensics were here getting fingerprints and stuff.”
The alleged break in has hit these businesses at a tough economic time, but Gamal said if the offenders had asked for help, they would have got it.
“I’m feeling very sad to be honest. Business has been quiet and now we’ve been hit with $3,000 worth of damages. We’re already struggling with everything, and this is just the icing on the cake,” Gamal said.
“I feel very sad with these young criminals, not offenders, if they needed money and came during the daytime I would have given them money.
“If they didn’t have money, then I would have given them a job so they can understand the value of working and making money in the right way, not the wrong way.”
While police remain on the scene this morning Gamal has confirmed he will be pressing charges once the offenders are found.
“I definitely want to press charges to teach them a lesson because if we don’t do that, they will keep doing this a lot of different businesses,” Gamal said.
“Maybe some businesses are not as well of as me and they can’t afford the repairs. It could set them back a couple of weeks.”
NSW Police have been contacted for comment.
Emily Chate
Emily Chate joined The Western Weekender in 2024, and covers local news - primarily courts and politics. A graduate of the University of Wollongong, Emily has contributed to The Daily Telegraph and worked as a freelance journalist.