Both sites, which are opposite each other on Honor Oak Park, have had their door windows bricked. It may be just clumsy attempts at opportunistic theft (there was an unsuccessful attempt at theft in the cafe) or vandalism. Ugly, whatever the motive.
I hope the perpetrators are caught, b’stards.
This is dreadful news.
There is speculation on Twitter about possible political motivations for this attack, and I have requested supporting evidence for this. Can I ask that any political discussion of this crime takes place strictly within the opt-in Politicos category of SE23.life and not in this topic itself.
I have to say, and I am no expert, but that looks like a robbery attempt. Sad for the owners who now have to go to the expense of repairs. That’s what happened at The Butchery when it was the Lemon Tree.
Am not sure how you can tell that but if so, it is two robbery attempts in the same part of the street at around the same time.
If you want to make a statement you heave a brick through the very large plate glass window. Kicking in the bottom pane of glass on a door is a favourite method for free shoppers. That’s what happened to The Lemon Tree before it was The Butchery hence the shutters.
It wasn’t kicked, it was bricked. Am not implying that anyone was making a statement. The first smash, you would think, would draw attention to the next. Anyway, at least one has CCTV I think so hopefully there is evidence available.
There was the removal of the cash point at Sainsbury. Made a hell of a noise, thieves still had the time to get in, get out and leave.
Yes ok but two premises is still pretty audacious IMO.
Drugs does that. Will explain on the 30th if you are going.
Gee thanks inspector 
Just call me Clouseau, or clueless more like.
Both doors now fixed. Police still investigating, no suspects identified as yet, as far as Donde staff are aware. Similar attempted thefts via smashed door bottom windows in Stansted road a few months ago.
Some people on Facebook are claiming this was an attack on foreign restaurants.
See https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153700535821966&id=539256965
Funny how they didn’t smash the window of the Turkish restaurant or the Indian or the Italian or the other Italian, etc
There are definitely hateful acts going on across the country, but there is no reason to believe that this attack on a cafe and a tapas bar fall into this category.
Can I ask that we move your response to politicos, @Michael? Much as I agree with it personally, support you for saying it, and want to keep it here, I need to set a fair precedent on political discussion as I laid out earlier in this thread.
There will be a visible link to the new location of your response after the move.
Personally I think it is better off here as it directly relates to this incident. I’ve already shared a link to this thread with a friend in Scotland and I think it is worth making it clear that local people from both sides of the Brexit debate all agree that this was unlikely to be related to politics.
Reading some of those posts i think Facebook should set an entry exam before you can join.
Okay I see another member of the team agrees with you @Michael. I think if there are any further political responses we ought to put them in a dedicated discussion in politicos. But I’ll go with the majority view.
I agree this time. I dont want this to spiral out of control over what may or may not have happened. Lets see what the police have to say. Clouseau out!
This is really sad, my door window was done in not too long ago. Luckily I have anti-terrorist shatterproof film on all my windows so no one was ever getting in!
But it was still an extra cost to get it fixed, no point claiming on insurance because of excess & it wouldn’t cover the special film I have anyway, which was the most expensive part!
ETA This was nothing to do with the EU vote & there was a spurt at the time around a month ago!
Hope both are okay 
This is, IMHO, certainly break in attempt rather than anything else. You will see plenty of shops where there were previously two glass sections in the front door but the lower part is now a panel instead. On a house you break the window and attempt the lock from the inside, however most shops will have locks that can not be opened from the inside either, so there is no point in smashing a window at or above waist height as you would then have to climb through to get in and out. A lower section means you have less risk of injury and of blood being left at the scene. Plus, if you are a vandal your motive is to cause damage, so you hit the most obvious target, not a lower door section. Of course they could just be vandals with really bad aim.
Agree with you Simon.
Really bad aim twice. Maybe a disgruntled England player?
Just for an update, TOSS has a comment from The Forest Hill Society on this issue. Minds greater than mine may be able to link it.
Unfortunately the TOSS-master asked that I prevent mentions of him or his website here on SE23.life, so links won’t work (I have no problem linking to other forums, in principle, though).
@Michael is chair of the Forest Hill Society, so hopefully he’ll be able to share the FHSoc post here with us on this forum. (I know it’s a bit of a chore to have to cross-post, but would be appreciated).
Can’t see that but did see a post from FHS but it just linked to this thread!
Sorry, it was on FB!
Forest Hill Society
2 hrs ·
Contrary to some reports on social media, two attempted break-ins in Honor Oak Park were probably not racially motivated.
While this is appalling for Honor Oak Cafe and DONDE they appear to have been the victims of straight-forward attempted robberies.
Further discussion on local forum Donde & Honor Oak Cafe Windows Bricked and if you have any information about these break ins please contact the police.
Copied from the FB post from the FHS. I hope they do not object.
Also worth mentioning the Met’s take on the matter.
@MPSLewisham 15 hours ago
@SE23lifeChris they are being investigated. As far as I’m aware there is nothing to suggest a more sinister motive than theft.
The post of another forum was:
[quote]
There has been a lot of discussion about this on another site and the belief is that there were two attempted break-ins.
The post on facebook (shared over 900 times) that this was a racist attack is unlikely to have any validity.[/quote]
I followed this up with a post to Forest Hill Society Facebook Page linking to this site. However, I doubt this will counter the rumours of racist attacks on these shops spread by others on Facebook, now shared 1,193 times (including by my wife and by a friend in Scotland).
Sad really that this misinformation spreads so quickly but corrections take so much time to happen.
After checking it was a few months ago when my window was broken, around the same time & all within days the library & The Lounge Hairdressers on D Rd, and Mind Body Thearapy on Stanstead Rd were all broken into 
Oh for Pete’s sake, this is all over Twitter as a hate crime. I’ve corrected the original tweeter.
Ditto on FB.
Cheers Rachael, I think this is just opportunists or vandals!
Metro has joined in the rumours:
Metro displayed a very strong anti-Brexit position throughout the referendum, so it comes as no surprise they are inflaming here. But at least they moderated their message by mentioning the response in the “local community forum” - I wonder which one they referred to?
Yes but they also report that it could be theft. Remarkably balanced for the Metro!
Key phrase here from the beginning of the article is ‘in what is being called’. Only way down the article does it mention that that view is challenged, and they didn’t bother to include views of the local police or the restaurant owners.
Note the subtle difference from ‘in what is being called’ to ‘some users claimed’.
Newspapers, Social Media, and politicians don’t really care about the facts, they care about what makes a good story, what will get reported and shared.
Yes, and in the case of Metro/Standard, it is particularly lazy journalism - social media & Google StreetView rule.
wow that Metro report is such bull. Even the definition of Honor Oak Cafe as Turkish seems like a bit of a stretch to me - it sells breakfast rolls and weak tea. It’s an English cafe haha.
