Italian deli owners feel 'violated' after break-in

Burglars broke equipment, stole a till and left "shattered glass everywhere" at Ciaro Italian Deli

A couple who own an award-winning Italian restaurant say they feel "completely violated" after burglars broke equipment, stole a till and left "shattered glass everywhere".

The raid happened at Ciaro's Italian Deli on Gas Street in Birmingham city centre in the early hours of 21 October.

Alex Gemmi, who runs the small independent restaurant with her husband, Andrea, also said: "It's been a very rough week for us," but thanked the community for their "incredible" support during this difficult time.

They are now appealing to artists for help to turn the board currently covering the smashed window into an art piece to put on display once the window is fixed.

"We want to make a bad situation, very good, very happy," explained Ms Gemmi, the winner of this year's Birmingham's Restaurant of the Year Award.

"We wanted an artist just to come and do something nice and something beautiful about that board.

"And once we've fixed the window, we want to keep the board as a reminder that we're stronger.

"People can try to put us down, but we're stronger."

Ms Gemmi said a few artists had since been in touch, and they were grateful for their interest.

"Our dream would be Banksy; we're big Banksy fans."

Alex Gemmi and her husband Andrea own Ciaro's Italian at the Birmingham Awards

Ms Gemmi said they discovered the break-in after they received an alert on their security system and had called the police.

"There was glass everywhere, all of our equipment on the floor,;they took the till and the safe with a week's worth of cash.

"It's really sad when something like this happens; we're such a small independent place.

"Something like this for us is major; it's a major hit. But it's not only the financial part of it; it's more the emotional."

After she posted about the burglary on Instagram, support flooded in from the community.

"It's always been a very strong community, people come once, and then they just become part of the family."