Walsall community cafe broken into twice in one week

James Clark says though it has been a "horrible thing" to happen, he's been overwhelmed by the kindness of people in the town

A community cafe set up to help people combat loneliness during the pandemic has been broken into twice in one week.

Manager James Clark said thieves made off with about £200, a drill and a digital camera from The Table in Walsall on 7 August.

A second break-in five days later caused damage to the building.

Mr Clark said although it had been a "horrible thing" to happen, he had been overwhelmed by the kindness of people in the town.

A customer has replaced the drill and another has donated a CCTV camera, while others have simply popped in to check how staff are doing.

"As much as it's been a horrible thing, it's been lovely to have that response," said Mr Clark.

"It's given us this sense of camaraderie on the team that... we aren't going to let [the break-ins] stop us being the positive place that we are."

Mr Clark opened the non-profit cafe on Lower Hall Lane as a takeaway coffee shop during lockdown in April 2021, when "so many people were isolated and lonely during the pandemic".

"We wanted to create a new place in town that had a different atmosphere and was a really safe and positive place for people to come and connect," he said.

'Place of positivity'

When he arrived at work on 7 August, he found the cash register had been ripped out and thieves had left a trail of coins on the floor.

"I followed them out the building and into an alley to eventually where they'd smashed [the register] up," he said. "The irony is most of the money had fallen out of it."

The second break-in on 12 August was less successful in that the suspects had tried to enter through the cellar, but had not been able to get into the cafe itself.

Mr Clark said they caused damage to a hatch and a lot of "organisational stress".

He said the experiences would not deter his 15-strong team of staff and volunteers from continuing to offer work experience placements to young people, as well as hosting book and craft clubs, jazz nights, and mental health events.

"We're known in the community for being a hub that's uplifting and [we've decided to] just continue and be a place of positivity and light in town," he said.

"I'm a fairly positive, optimistic person and although something bad has happened, some great things have come out of it."

West Midlands Police, which has been been informed of the break-ins, has been contacted for a response.