A SERIES of break-ins have sparked police investigations as thieves target businesses in Dursley and Cam.

Raiders are believed to have used a crowbar to force their way into the Berry Blue Café and Bistro, in Noel Lee Way near Tesco in Cam, in the early hours of Monday morning.

The phone lines to the café were cut and the alarm smashed in, but nothing was stolen from the premises.

Last week a hair salon and dry cleaners in Silver Street, Dursley, were both burgled on the same night.

These burglaries follow a string of similar incidents over the past month, which include break-ins at Dursley Fish Bar and the town’s Glow Hairdressers.

Café staff discovered the break-in when they came to open the premises on Monday morning.

The front door had been badly damaged, potentially by a crowbar, and the interior of the premises had been searched.

A Gloucestershire Police spokesman added: "Two internal doors had been forced open, causing considerable damage, but it appears nothing has been stolen at this time."

Forensics teams examined the premises and house to house inquiries have taken place.

Claire Marshall, the café’s marketing and events manager, said the burglary had been a shock for the new business.

"It’s quite horrible," she said. "We’ve only been open since May. Luckily absolutely nothing has been taken apart from a bottle of juice."

She added: "There wasn’t any cash on site, but they obviously knew what they were doing as the door is heavily smashed in."

The café reopened for business at midday.

Miss Marshall said it was especially surprising that café had been targeted, as it is on a main thoroughfare, with street lights and an open entrance.

Police believe the break-in occurred at around 1.25am and are appealing for information from anyone who might have been in the area.

Meanwhile police in Dursley are investigating two overnight burglaries which occurred in one night.

A hair salon and dry cleaners in Silver Street were broken into between 5.30pm on Wednesday, November 21, and 7.30am on Thursday, November 22.

Around £10 in loose change was taken at the dry cleaners while a cash box containing an unknown quantity of money was taken from the hairdressers.

House to house, CCTV and forensic inquiries have been conducted and now officers are urging people with information to come forward.

Anyone who witnessed suspicious activity around Silver Street, Dursley should call 101, quoting incident 69 of November 22.

The incident number for the Cam break-in is 77 of November 26.