Ankit Vaghela, an Indian-origin restaurant owner in Southampton, was told by the police that they could not come to his ‘Padharo’ when he called 999 to report a break-in. The vandals broke in and fled with several bottles of expensive alcohol and cash but the police helpline asked them to email the CCTV footage of the three burglars who broke in last week.Vaghela decided to get proactive and review the footage first. He discovered his cash register without the cash, abandoned along with some smashed liquor bottles strewn on a nearby road. “It was very heartbreaking to be told that officers will be able to review the damage in three to five working days and that no forensics was available at the time,” said Vaghela.“There was glass everywhere. As a business, we can’t afford to remain closed and had to get things cleaned up and the glass fixed. We are still struggling to operate smoothly without a proper cash register, which will take time, but are determined to welcome our guests with the same level of service we are known for in the city,” he said.The Hampshire Police said they did not underestimate the July 31 case but they understood that their investigation could start without their immediate attendance at the site, as the offenders were not there. “Every deployment decision is based on informed risk assessments to make sure the most serious cases are prioritised, and officers are on scene where there is an immediate threat to life or a crime in action,” the police force said in a statement.“On this occasion, based on the initial information we were given regarding the offenders no longer being at the scene, our investigation could get underway without any immediate attendance. That investigation is progressing with lines of enquiry identified, such as CCTV, and we are in touch with the victim to provide them updates on our investigation,” added the statement, along with an appeal to the public for any information related to the burglary.“It means nothing now, the damage is done. Officers were not willing to visit the restaurant,” Vaghela told to local news outlets.
