The owners of a ‘hatch-style’ Brazilian-inspired bakery in Ancoats have shared their heartbreak after their store was broken into in the middle of the night.
The Flat Baker, situated on Radium Street, was broken into by thieves on Tuesday morning (February 21). Owners Deborah and Matt believe the thieves, who stole cash, a coffee grinder and even some coffee, made their way into the premises through a window.
They say it has left them ‘devastated’ and ‘heart-broken’. It led to the bakery being closed all day Tuesday, but reopened today with a limited menu. Posting on social media, the pair wrote: “This is definitely not the kind of post we’d like to share here, but this night the bakery has been [ransacked], they broke into the window and made this f****** mess.
“Luckily, they only got some cash, coffee beans and the coffee grinder. Bus we are devastated, considering we are in Brazil and seeing our so-beloved business like that is so so so heart-breaking for us.”
The Flat Baker’s business partner Laura Colombo, who is currently looking after the bakery for Deborah and Matt, said she came to open the business up on Tuesday morning to find the place broken into.
“We came to the shop in the morning and we found the curtains weren’t properly shut - it was in a strange position,” Laura told the M.E.N. “Once we came in, we opened the door to our unit and we could see coffee grounds all over the place.
“They got the coffee grinder and had clearly tried to take the coffee machine too, but it must have been too heavy for them. They also stole the till which had money inside it.”
Laura says she estimates that the thieves have cost the business, which first opened its doors last year, around £1,500 worth of damage and said it has had a ‘knock-on’ impact on the bakery’s staff.
“It’s a lot for a small business like this to cope with,” she explains. “Yesterday was a very strange day for us all, we felt like someone had been inside our house.
“There’s a strange energy and it’s made many of the staff feel a bit on edge. We usually have a good vibe here and I feel like we’ve lost that this week, but we’re working hard to get it back.
“We work so, so hard here and we’ve always been here from early in the morning in order to be ready in time for opening in the morning. It’s not an easy job, we’re not swimming in money, we’re a small business just trying to get by.”
Since posting news of the break-in on social media, Laura says the bakery has been inundated with positive comments and messages from customers. She said it has made the situation feel a bit better.
“We’ve had such a lovely response from customers,” she said. “People have been so kind, two guys brought in a coffee grinder for us to use whilst customers have been expressing how sorry they are.
“It makes me feel very warm in my heart as it makes me feel like we are not alone. People are really here supporting us.”
Police are now investigating the incident. Greater Manchester Police were approached for comment.
Anyone with information can contact GMP on 101 or via their website.
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