CCTV appeal: Chinese restaurant Fai's Oriental hit by burglar

The raider was filmed skulking around Fai’s Oriental restaurant, in St Botolph’s Street, Colchester, in a “shocking” daytime break-in.

A spokeswoman for the restaurant said the theft of a three-figure sum of cash and a printer had come at a time when businesses were facing difficulties.

She said: “There have been quite a lot of thefts, it’s not just us and it is a bit alarming.”

It is believed the crooks gained access through a back door to the business.

She added: “It happened at about 3pm.

“The restaurant is shut at lunchtime.

“They took just the till and the printer.

“We got in touch with the police and they had already recovered the till, they found it near Priory Street.

“He said they found the till even before we reported the crime.

“It was reported at 4pm when came into work, there was blood on the till.”

Till snatched: CCTV shows this figure looking for items to steal

Previously during lockdown, the restaurant had helped to deliver food and drink to NHS staff and care workers.

The spokeswoman added: “We were taking food out and we used to do it every week.

“It has been hard times on a lot of people, you don’t do that.

“It is shocking and it is an inconvenience more than anything else, as we now don’t have a printer.”

An Essex Police spokesman said officers were called to the restaurant shortly after 4pm on Monday.

He said: “It was reported that a till containing a threefigure sum of cash had been stolen.

“An iPad and a printer were also reported missing.

“The till was recovered nearby a short time later.

“No arrests have been made and our enquiries are ongoing.”

Witnesses or anyone with information can report online at essex.police.uk or use the ‘Live Chat’ button to speak to an online operator between 7am-11pm.

Alternatively, call 101 and cite crime reference number 42/33174/21.

Information can also be given to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or crimestoppers-uk.org