A coffee shop that works to support Liverpool's homeless community has been broken into.
The Papercup Coffee Shop opened early in 2022 in Queen Square with an aim to help rough sleepers and those without homes in the city. The shop is the brainchild of Michelle Langan who has run the Papercup homeless outreach charity in Liverpool for years.
The shop serves hot drinks and food and allows customers to 'pay it forward' so that homeless people can eat or drink for free. It also offers a safe, warm place for rough sleepers to go as well as skills training to help vulnerable people turn their lives around.
READ MORE: Police update after Mother's Day brawl breaks out in Baltic Triangle
This morning Ms Langan confirmed that the shop had been broken into overnight, with an image showing a glass pane in the shop's front door shattered.
Once inside, thieves raided the shop's till and stole a jar of tips collected by staff members. Ms Langan said she isn't sure how much has been taken but that "things could have been a lot worse" if staff hadn't cashed up before closing.
She told the ECHO: "I was called about 6.30am to say there had been a break-in and we think it happened in the early hours of the morning. They have smashed the door with a brick or something and got into the shop.
"They have taken the staff tips, which is really sad for the team and taken what we had in the till. We're not sure how much but thankfully we had cashed up before closing so it could have been a lot worse."
She added: "The biggest problem for us has been the hassle and cost of sorting the door out but we are open now and would really encourage people to come in and support us and help us to support the homeless. If anyone can give our staff a couple of quid to replace their tips that would be great."
Ms Langan, who has worked with the homeless for years in Liverpool, said she can't help but feel whoever broke into the shop was in a "desperate" situation.
She added: "They only took money from the till, nothing else - that feels like desperation. The sad thing is that if they had come into the shop and said they were struggling, we would have fed them and looked after them - all they had to do was ask."
Merseyside Police has been to the coffee shop this morning to investigate and gather CCTV images from nearby.
A spokesperson for the force said: "We were contacted at 6.50am today, Tuesday 21st March, following reports that an unknown person had gained entry to Paper Cup Coffee on Queen Square in Liverpool.
"It is believed the incident occurred at around 3.40am. A quantity of cash was stolen and damage caused to a door.
"CCTV and forensic enquiries have been carried out.
"Anyone who can assist is asked to DM @MerPolCC or contact @CrimestoppersUK on 0800 555 111 quoting reference 23000238423."
READ MORE:
Police update after Mother's Day brawl breaks out in Baltic Triangle
