Break-in at Solihull charity farm cafe sparks police investigation - The Solihull Observer

Break-in at Solihull charity farm cafe sparks police investigation

Solihull Editorial 3rd Apr, 2019   0

A PROBE has been launched after a charity farm cafe which gives people with disabilities job experience was broken into.

Manager Daniel Adams said the break-in caused nearly £1,500 worth of damage and new security measures will be introduced.

Newlands Bishop Farm is operated by the Family Care Trust and offers vocational learning for adults with learning difficulties including woodwork and agriculture as well as a community gardening service.

Its cafe – which is open to the public – saw its doors broken and windows smashed, which has caused concern among the vulnerable people who see the farm as a sanctuary.




The thieves also smashed the tills in an attempt to seize cash.

A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: “Police are investigating reports of a burglary at a farm cafe in Berry Hall Lane, Solihull, between 2 and 3am last Saturday morning (March 23).


“Entry was forced and a cash till was taken.”

Mr Adams said: “We try not to make a big deal of it, because for a lot of them it is quite personal to them this place.

“It’s a bit more than a place of work for them because some of them have been here for years.

“It has caused a bit of upset and anxiety and they are worried about us getting broken into again.

“We reassure them we have all our security measures in place and it won’t happen again.

“We are going to add more CCTV cameras now. It is fairly futile really because everything that is worth nicking is locked away.”

Anyone with information should contact police by quoting crime reference number 20SH/70506M/19 via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am and midnight, call 101 anytime or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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