‘Enough to drive you insane’: Vandals' senseless act

AFTER being constantly targeted by thieves, a Gladstone cafe owner is questioning if her hard work was worth it.

Savour the Flavour at the Tondoon Botanic Gardens has had thieves break into the drink fridge nine times in two months. On Friday night vandals threw some of their furniture into the lake behind the cafe.

Owner Janelle Noonan said the small value of the items meant the insurance won't help and their hands were tied.

"We've stopped using the drink fridge because they keep breaking it," Ms Noonan said.

"It's not enough for the insurance to cover but it's enough to drive you insane."

She said the thieves had stolen $30-$100 of stock each time they broke in, often throwing it into the lake.

"Every coffee you make every day is going towards replacing the stock," Ms Noonan said.

"It's getting to the stage where I'm asking, 'what can I do, it's costing me as a business and it's money we don't have'."

She said the staff were also disappointed by the "senseless" acts.

"That's the staff wage I'm losing each week - I've got to find the money somewhere," she said.

Instead of persecution, she said, she'd like to see the offenders work off the value of the stolen goods.

"It's not just the product you've stolen, it's time to replace and fix it," she said.

"A slap on the wrist is nothing."

Anyone with information should contact Police Link on 131 444.