A message to Hartlepool’s small business owners after a recent increase in burglaries.

Our Crime Prevention specialists are reminding Hartlepool businesses to remove all cash - even small amounts - from their premises overnight after an increase in commercial burglaries.

Small businesses are mainly targeted, particularly food stores and hot food take-away businesses.

Sadly, charity boxes have also been taken alongside cash tills.

We’ve received reports of five such burglaries at town centre businesses over the Easter weekend.

We’d urge business owners and managers to take simple steps to prevent them from becoming victims of burglary and theft and from facing expensive repair bills.