Gang breaks into shop just minutes before New Year countdown

Bretforton Community Shop was burgled on New Year’s Eve, with a group of four making off with a safe holding around £500 to £700.

Chairman of the community-owned business, Chris Buckham, was preparing to welcome in 2023 at The Fleece Inn when someone called the pub to say that the shop’s alarm was going off.

“In some ways the culprits timed it well as people were more focused on New Year’s but luckily there was a lot of people around,” he said.

Bretforton Community shop is owned by locals, with around 300 members holding shares which help with the upkeep of the business.

The break-in came just days after a similar incident, on Thursday December 29, which Mr Buckham believes may have been a precursor to the main event.

The 71-year-old said: “It would appear they were just scouting it out.

“We didn’t anticipate that they would return.”

Bretforton Community Shop (Image: Google Maps)

Having broken off a padlock on the shutters, the New Year thieves smashed a window before entering the store.

As well as stealing the safe, the group caused damage to stock, fixtures and fittings and smashed the alarm bell.

Mr Buckham had a message for those responsible

“I would just ask them why? Why would they pick on members of the community who have raised money to build this shop,” he said.

“It is a community resource which is why it is so painful when you have these sorts of incidents.

“The ability and the ingenuity to plan something like this could have been used to do something productive.

“There is no point in appealing to their community spirit but perhaps you could appeal to their creativity, which could have been used help the community.”

West Mercia Police officers are now investigating the break-in.

A force spokesperson said: “At around midnight on Sunday January 1 we received a report of burglary at Bretforton Community Shop on New Street, Bretforton.

“Officers attended and our investigations are ongoing.

“We’d like to hear from anyone who has any information that could help our investigation, please email eveshamtnrs.snt@westmercia.police.uk quoting reference 7 of January 1.”