Cafe Claire, Annandale broken into, EFTPOS machine and cash stolen

An Annandale cafe was broken into a day before the owner’s birthday as police search for a mystery man in a fluoro vest. See the CCTV photos here.

CCTV footage of the break-and-enter at Cafe Claire, Annandale.

A beloved cafe has been scoured for fingerprints after EFTPOS machines and coins, totalling $1000, were stolen a day before the owner’s birthday.

Police were called to Cafe Claire on Young St, Annandale about 4am on Monday after a scooter rider, wearing dark pants and a fluoro vest, allegedly stole cash and two EFTPOS machines.

Cafe Claire owner Nat Su said she was “devastated” as “everything was shattered on the floor”, including cutlery and plates.

“I don’t feel safe, not at all. But luckily I was not in the shop this morning, they could have had a knife,” she said.

“My husband and my two little girls, aged two and five, come in (to the shop) everyday at 6:30am so we’re very lucky.”

Cafe Claire, owner Nat Su following a break-and-enter on Monday.

The 34-year-old said she received a notification on her phone from the camera inside the store about 5am.

“He tried to kick the door open … he took the cash register but it had only coins worth about $1000,” she said.

In her seven years of owning the cafe, Ms Su said this was the second time her business had been targeted.

“It happened again six years ago and they didn’t get anything but now they got money and it's a lot of damages,” she said

Despite the incident, Ms Su said the store remained open and will continue operating tomorrow on her birthday.

“I don’t know what I’ll do (to celebrate my birthday) but you just have to keep going,” she said.

Police attended the scene and are investigating. Anyone with information is urged to contact Inner West Police Area Command.