Southsea café hit by latest break-in in troubling crime spree
A fifth Southsea café has fallen victim to a string of early-morning burglaries sweeping the area. This time, Smile Cafe on Marmion Road was targeted while its owners were away on holiday – a double blow for the family-run spot.
Window smashed, panel caved in at Smile Cafe
Thieves smashed the front door’s glass panel and smashed the wooden bottom panel. Thankfully, Smile Cafe keeps no valuables on site overnight, so nothing was stolen. The break-in is a costly hassle for the independent eatery but no property was lost.
Wave of break-ins hits Southsea’s independent eateries
Smile is the latest in a worrying trend targeting local family-run businesses. Recent victims include Jam & Bowler on 1 Road South, HUIS in Elm Grove, plus Sopranos Restaurant on Palmerston Road and Sant-yago Southsea on Clarendon Road – both struck on the same morning. All suffered early-hours intrusions in recent weeks.
Owners urge locals to stay alert and report suspicious activity
Grahame and Sheena from Smile Cafe said: “Not what you want to find the morning of your holiday! Luckily we don’t leave anything of value, so nothing was taken. It’s a pain and a cost to fix, especially for a small business, but we’ll be back up and running by 23rd May.”
Anyone with information or who noticed suspicious behaviour in the area is urged to contact Portsmouth police on 101.
