Fakenham McColl's reopens following buglary on Bridge Street

Police were called to Bridge Street, Fakenham at 4.18am on Saturday, June 17, following reports of a burglary.

Officers attended the scene and found that some alcohol had been stolen.

A man aged in his 20s was arrested in connection with the incident and taken to Aylsham Police Investigation Centre for questioning.

READ MORE: More Norfolk criminals sentenced for thefts last year

Stuart Steele, aged 29 and of no fixed address, has been charged with theft, burglary and attempted burglary. He was due to appear at Norwich Magistrates Court on Monday, June 19.

Paul Paver, manager of the shop arrived at 5am on the morning of May 17, alongside a colleague, when the pair discovered the police already at the scene and their front door smashed in (Image: Submitted)

Paul Paver, manager of the shop, arrived at 5am on the morning of the crime with a colleague.

They found the police already at the scene and their front door smashed in, with smashed glass both inside the shop and along the pavement.

The bottom of the door was completely destroyed, with a large pane of glass laying just inside the shop’s entrance.

Mr Paver said no money was taken from the shop, just stock. But more stock had to be written off than was taken, due to the damage caused and the smashed glass littering the interior of the newsagents.

He said: “When you’ve been in retail for as long as I have and see something like this, you hope for the best. Thankfully, they did not take too much and actually caused more damage than disruption."

The shop was forced to close for seven hours on Saturday. It normally opens at 6am but was unable to until 1pm.

Mr Paver said losing that amount of trade on what is typically one of its busiest days was “quite significant.”

The door has now been boarded up while the store waits for a repair.