The owners of a fish and chip shop in Petts Wood have been left feeling “physically sick” after their chippy was burgled in the middle of the night.
The Village Fish and Chip Shop in Petts Wood was broken into on December 11, 2022, at 3.21am – when CCTV footage caught three figures forcing entry into the shop.
The intruders left the shop, which is “really struggling” at the moment, with a smashed door and the staff tip box was taken.
Owners Serena, 38, and Andy Pybus, 43, have owned the business for 15 years, and employ a team of four staff.
Serena told the News Shopper: “It made me feel physically sick when I came to the shop and saw the glass all smashed on the floor and the window broken.
“The business is really struggling because times are hard, and we aren’t getting as many customers and so we don’t get that many tips now.
“The tips are for our four staff who really are the heart of the business, the two chefs both have children, and our two front house staff have grandchildren.
“The tips are really for them as a way of saying thank you to them for all their hard work this year.”
After the incident, Serena took to a WhatsApp group for local businesses in the area to inform them of what had happened, and to her surprise the businesses organised a collection.
The 18 businesses raised £250 to give to Serena and her team in a collection organised by the Chair of the Petts Wood Business Association, Liz Johnston.
Liz Johnston, 64, said: “Everybody who was on the WhatsApp group said they wanted to donate so I went around with a bucket to collect donations.
“We ended up a few pence short of £250 with 18 businesses that donated.
“Serena was a massive support for the community during lockdown, she provided free meals for the NHS shop for nurses coming off shifts and free meals for vulnerable children in the community.
“We just felt that she really deserved this, Serena has a big heart, so it was payback time as far as we were concerned.
“This goes to show what an amazing community Petts Wood is - the community pulls together when the chips are down, so to speak.”
Serena explained: “We began the WhatsApp group in lockdown to support each other through those times.
“Then after the burglary happened, I was so worried that other small shops like ours would be targeted so I posted on there to warn others that this could happen.
“I honestly never expected what came next.
“I wanted to cry, most of the businesses in Petts Wood are hospitality businesses, restaurants, salons and so on.
“We are all finding it hard because costs have gone up so much and we don’t get the custom these days.
“So for them to dig deep and find spare money and for that amount to be raised is truly mind blowing.
“It’s made a really horrible situation feel less horrible and it’s just made me so proud of my community and want to go out and support all the businesses that helped us.”
Serena says that the £250 will be divided equally between the four staff members to help them over the Christmas period.
However, despite the community support, the business will still incur expenses as a result of the burglary.
The business is still waiting for a door to be fitted which could cost anywhere between £500 and £1,200.
Serena said: “We’ve now got a big board up at our door and are in the process of getting a new door fitted, which may not be done until the New Year.
“It’s so frustrating because customers have thought that we are closed, and our staff are working in a shop with a draft coming in whilst we wait for a new door.
“We’ve been quoted between £500 and £1,200 to get it fixed, another expense we really didn’t need at this time of year.”
Serena says that the business has received much support from regular customers since the burglary took place - with many wanting to personally donate themselves.
Serena explained: “When customers find out what happened they’ve been offering to contribute which just gives me such a warm feeling.
“But we tell them what the other businesses have done for us and instead encourage them to give back by shopping with the other local businesses who donated so kindly to us.”
Police enquiries into the incident are still ongoing and no arrests have been made.
Anyone with information should contact 101 quoting the reference CAD2530.
A spokesperson for Met Police said: “Police were called at approximately 10:50hrs on Sunday, 11 December following reports of a burglary at a shop in Petts Wood Road, Orpington.
“The incident happened at around 03:20hrs that morning.
“Three people forced entry into the shop and stole a small quantity of cash.
“No arrests; enquiries into the circumstances are ongoing.
“Anyone with information that could assist police is asked to call 101 or tweet @MetCC and quote CAD2530/11Dec.”
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