Greggs bakery hit by 11 break-ins in six months

The repeated incidents led to doors and windows being boarded up at the bakery

A branch of Greggs says it has suffered 11 break-ins over a six-month period and urgently needs to improve security to stop “opportunistic thieves”.

The Bradford drive-thru was targeted twice in one day on two occasions between March and August this year.

The company applied to Bradford Council for permission to install security shutters on the property and said it was acting on the advice of police.

The application said: “West Yorkshire Police and our own in-house security team recommend the installation of security blinds to deter opportunistic thieves.”

The repeated incidents at the Rooley Lane bakery caused damage to the store that meant doors and windows were boarded up.

On 9 April and 16 August there were two break-ins on the same day, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service .

The store was the first Greggs drive-thru in Bradford and opened in May 2023.

It was built on the site of the former Cross Keys pub and is on one of the city’s busiest commuter routes, close to the M606.

The planning application submitted to Bradford Council is for security shutters to the front and side of the building, as well as at the drive-thru window.

Greggs said the measures were needed to prevent future break-ins.

While other business in Bradford have been denied permission to install roller shutters, the application points out the building is not listed and is not in a conservation area.

Unusually for a planning application, it includes a statement of support from a local police officer.

The statement says police had been called to break-ins at the store and would be sending plain clothes officers to patrol the area.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said one person had been charged in relation to two of the Greggs break-ins, as well as a number of other commercial burglaries in the city.

They are due to be sentenced on 16 October.

A decision on the planning application is expected next month.

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