An independent café in Beckenham has had its till and tip jar stolen after a break-in which left the front door smashed.

The Garden Shop Café in Elmers End Road was targeted between Friday night and Saturday morning.

Manager of the two-year-old café, Thierry Brun, told News Shopper: "Saturday is our busiest trading day of the week. It has had a big impact because we don't have a massive turnover and we contribute to local employment and most of our staff are students and local people.

"It wasn't so much the volume of damage or a financial loss - it was a very important trading day. We had to organise for someone to fit the glass to make sure our customers were nice and warm."

After informing police, Thierry opened the shop two hours after the discovery.

He added: "They took the whole till and also the tip jar. They were the tips which we normally share out at the end of the week."

The Garden Shop Café published an Instagram post after the burglary. They wrote: "We have been broken into last night. Thank you so much to the person who stole from us last night.

"We put our soul into this business and it means we won't be paid this week. Karma will get you back."

Max Okore - owner of the café which serves coffee and brunch - told News Shopper the gbusiness feels abandoned.

He said: "There has been six or seven break-ins in the area recently. Small businesses have not been warned. We are on the border of Bromley and Lewisham.

"The roads feel neglected and we never see a road sweeper and half of the shops are closed."

Despite the disappointing week, Max said the social media response has been "fantastic".

He said: "We have had over 100 messages on Instagram and Facebook, lots of them direct ones. Social media is a really good medium to get our customers to try and get tighter and try and protect our community."

A police spokesman told News Shopper that no arrests have yet been made and they are appealing to anyone with information to call police quoting the reference number 2006/03FEB.