Owner of Oxford restaurant feels 'powerless' after thieves return four times within weeks

Watch: CCTV footage shows burglars rifling through the till and stealing food, as ITV News Meridian's Natalie Verney reports.

The owner of a Chinese restaurant in Oxford says she feels "powerless" after being burgled for the fourth time in a matter of weeks.

Thieves have targeted Rice Box on Cowley Road and stolen cash, food and electronics.

The culprits broke in at around 1.40am on 11 March, then again at 4am on 14 March and again at around 3am on 17 March.

They entered a fourth time on 27 March, every time damaging the back door and the kitchen door and stealing goods and cash.

The owner Yelei Cai said: "We didn’t sleep, we kept watching [the CCTV] all of the night.

"When we saw some actions, we called 999 but the agent kept asking questions over 20 minutes over the phone.

"I was told there were units surrounding the back door, however they didn’t come in to arrest him on time because the burglar ran away and jumped from the roof."

Yelei and her husband have paid thousands of pounds on new security, but she says she feels powerless and lives in fear that the thieves will keep returning.

She said: "There is nothing that can protect us. We can only be watching what the burglars are doing. But if we come to fight with them we don’t know what will happen."

Police officers have now issued images of two men they would like to speak to in connection with the thefts.

Investigating officer, PC Thomas Horsman, said: "We believe the individuals in the images may have information about this series of burglaries.

"If you are pictured, or you recognise who they may be, please get in touch.

"You can contact police by calling 101 or online, quoting reference 43240113854."

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