Owners of an Angus sweet business say they have been left saddened and angry after cash was stolen from an honesty box at their premises.
Stock and around £130 in cash were taken from Your Sweets, which operates out of East Scryne near Carnoustie, at the weekend.
CCTV footage from Saturday night shows a man using a crowbar to force open the money box, as well as breaking into two sheds and stealing sweets from inside.
Your Sweets began operating an honesty box system during the first coronavirus lockdown, as a safe and contactless way for people to buy sweets.
‘Very angry and disheartened’
Now they say they are disappointed it has been targeted.
They discovered the theft after checking on the sheds on Sunday morning and found items missing and the honesty box damaged.
They immediately checked CCTV and contacted police.
The CCTV cameras capture an individual walking up to one of the sheds, on Arbroath Road, and emptying the shelves of sweets.
After dumping the products into his vehicle nearby, he comes back with a crowbar to break into the money box and steal cash from inside it.
He then goes into the second shed and steals more products before making off.
A spokesperson for the Carnoustie business said: “We are very angry and disheartened and as a small business this has really affected us.”
It has been met with outrage from customers and residents who called the act “disgusting” and “shocking” online.
One said: “Absolutely shocking. I can’t believe anyone would be so low to do this.”
Another said: “Absolutely disgraceful.
“Some people have all the nerve and forget they are spoiling for others.”
Appeal for information
An appeal to track down the person responsible has now been launched.
Police Scotland say the break-in and theft was reported to have taken place between 6pm on January 22 and 9am on January 23.
A two-figure sum of cash and a quantity of products were taken.
Police are also looking for the owner of a vehicle, described as a dark coloured people carrier, seen in the area at the time to contact them.
Enquiries are ongoing and those with any information are being urged to get in touch via 101 quoting incident 1398 of January, 23.
The honesty box
Your Sweets opened two years ago and launched the honesty box soon after.
It started as sweets on a table at the roadside, with people asked to put their money into the box.
Due to its success, it as expanded to two sheds filled with a variety of sweets and treats and is frequently visited by customers.
The Your Sweets spokesperson added: “The honesty box has been very successful.
“We started off with a table with some sweets on it to now having two sheds full of a great variety of sweets and it’s become a family business.”
