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WANTED: Hunt for man after attempted break-in at Aberdeen Italian restaurant

Suspect police are hunting after attempted break-in at La Lombarda
Suspect police are hunting after attempted break-in at La Lombarda

This is the suspect police are hunting for following an attempted raid on the city’s oldest Italian restaurant.

The man broke into La Lombarda, on the city’s Castlegate, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Employees who work at the restaurant’s adjoining take-away on King Street had spotted a man sleeping in a doorway around the time of the incident and moved him on.

It was not until they looked back at CCTV, they discovered it was the same person caught on camera trying to break-in just moments before.

Last night, owner George Wyatt said that although the “would-be” thief did not manage to get inside, it was a classic example of the “annoyances” local business owners have to put up with.

The restaurant was targeted exactly a year ago, when a pair of thieves cleaned out the till – more than £1,200 – as staff opened up the restaurant.

One of the men was caught on camera putting his hand brazenly in the till, while his accomplice stood guard outside.

Mr Wyatt, who fixed the latest damage out of his own pocket, said he was fed up of people shamelessly targeting hard-working businesses.

He said the suspect had prised open a bolt on one of the restaurant’s famous wooden shutters, breaking a pane of glass in the process.

“I watched him on CCTV hanging out the Castlegate, watching what was going on, sussing the place out,” he said.

Mr Wyatt said it had been worth spending thousands of pounds on CCTV equipment outside his restaurant to ensure he can give police investigating the case as much information as possible.

“These people don’t understand the destruction they cause,” he said.

“Unfortunately, it comes as no surprise when these things happen – a day doesn’t go by just now when you hear of someone being mugged or robbed.

“This hasn’t cost us too much – I have fixed it all myself. However, it’s the thought of what could have happened had he got in.”

Police confirmed they were investigating the break-in, which happened around 1.20am on Sunday morning.

“Inquiries are on-going,” a spokeswoman said.

 

La Lombarda opened in 1922 and is reported to be the oldest Italian restaurant in the UK.

The attempted break-in is just the latest misfortune to hit the Wyatt family business.

Two summers ago, thieves wrecked a new beer garden, which had been built to attract tourists, leaving the business £3,500 out of pocket.

A year earlier, in 2012, more than £1,000 of damage was caused when vandals struck. Diners were eating when a window was smashed.

The couple also endured a terrible year in 2007 when the restaurant was hit by a car and suffered a basement fire.

Anyone with information about the latest incident should contact police on 101.