A cafe owner in Dulwich, south London, says she is at risk of having to close her doors after a series of break-ins, which have resulted in the loss of thousands of pounds. Stephanie Morgan, who opened Stephanie’s SE21 in 2021, has been the victim of five burglaries in just two months, including one incident in which thieves stole 100 Magnum ice creams.

Other items stolen included furniture, food and drinks, while her freezer was also raided, leaving items unusable. In an attempt to protect her business, Ms Morgan, 44, has installed new security systems, which came at a hefty price. However, she still fears for her cafe’s future.

She said: “We had a lot of burglaries when we first opened, but then it quietened down. But recently, we've been targeted once on January 24, three times in February, and then again on March 31. It's been constant. It's so disheartening.”

Ms Morgan added that thieves break in and trash things, take drinks from fridges, smash up storage areas, and even steal tools from sheds. Items removed from the freezer are simply strewn across the floor.

She asked, regarding the theft of 100 Magnum ice creams, “What is the point in that?”

“They don't have any value. You can't sell them on. You can't eat them all. It's just stupid. And it's wasteful.”

Since then, Ms Morgan has spent huge amounts of money on repairs and replacements, as well as the new security system, which has CCTV and alerts police whenever there is a sign of a break-in. She has also had to pay staff for extra hours to clear out fridges and chain furniture to the fences to prevent more thefts.

She added: “I've worked out that I'm paying an extra £18,000 a year in wages alone because of the extra security tasks I've had to ask my staff to do.

“And it's not like it's a particularly profitable business in the first place. If it wasn't such a hub of the community - I wouldn't bother anymore.'

Ms Morgan built the cafe for her father - who passed away from cancer in 2023, two years after the business opened.

“I built the cafe for my dad as I needed a distraction when I wasn't able to see him for a year during the pandemic.

“So I'm finding it really sad that there are people destroying it. I am worried about keeping the business going now. There's all the financial loss - and also the stress."

Dulwich, particularly Dulwich Village and areas near Dulwich College, is an expensive area of London, with property prices often exceeding £1 million for family homes. Stephanie’s SE21 transformed an abandoned car park in Belair Park into a “beautiful community space” used by dog walkers even in winter.

They hold a “Bump and Baby Group” on Mondays, a Crochet Club on Wednesdays and host karaoke nights during the summer.

Ms Morgan added: “Plus, later this month, on April 30, we're starting a scheme where we're welcoming local autistic students to help out at the cafe.

“So it really is a project of love.”