Gold Coast Crime: Pimpama's Whistlestop Cafe owners speak out after heartbreaking break-in
A Gold Coast family has spoken out about how they're moving on from a break-in which saw them lose an entire weekend's taking and their five-year-old daughter's pocket money.
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A GOLD Coast family left heartbroken after thieves targeted their cafe and stole an entire week's takings have spoken out about "getting back to work" after the incident.
Rob Houston, who runs Pimpama's long-running Whistlestop Cafe with partner Sarah Degen, said the family were touched by the outpouring of community support after the break-in, which saw the money their five-year-old daughter made selling strawberries also stolen.
"It's been restoring for us, particularly for Sarah who works very hard for the community, to see that support," he said.
"I know you don't leave your takings lying around, but this has been home for 30 years for us, and it's no different than leaving home. You don't pack up your TV at night thinking someone's going to break in.
"It's not the first time. We've only had half a dozen break-ins over 30 years but it's the same reaction every time.
"You come in, you see the damage, you're disappointed but you dust off and get going again. That's all we know how to do."
EARLIER:
A GOLD Coast girl left heartbroken after thieves targeted her family’s cafe and stole the money she earned selling strawberries has been given a special surprise on live TV.
Thieves broke into Pimpama’s long-running Whistlestop cafe on Sunday night, ransacking tills and stealing five-year-old Maddison Houston’s strawberry money.
Maddison’s mum Sarah Degen, who runs the cafe with partner Rob Houston, arrived Monday morning to find the back door kicked in and a week’s profits taken.
Also stolen was Maddison’s hard-earned $600.
After making an impassioned plea for the money - which she had planned to use to buy her dream car, a Ferrari - on Monday night, the family caught the eye of the Sunrise team.
“Give me back my money, because it’s not your money,” she told the culprits.
“I would take you in the Ferrari if you didn’t steal my money.”
While being interviewed by hosts David Koch and Samantha Armytage on Tuesday morning Maddison was left speechless when a bright red Ferrari pulled up behind her.
A representative from Ferrari Gold Coast, which is part of the the Frizelle group, handed her $600 cash and invited her into the passenger seat for a ride around the block.
Ms Degen told the Bulletin on Monday the thieves had cut the power to stop the alarms going off.
“They knew what they were doing and they must have been watching us, because it was right after close,” she said.
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“They raided all the tills, the offices and left a mess everywhere.
“What’s more annoying is because we are a small family business we worked a 100-hour week, I sacrificed my whole week and weekend.
“All that trade, it’s all gone.”
Ms Degen said Maddison had been left devastated after losing the money.
“She sells local strawberries every morning before school,” she said.
“We’ve got a drive-through so she stands there every morning for an hour before school.”
“We’ve been here for over 30 years so people know us as a community place, money is second to us.
“But it just sucks that I worked that whole week not having any time with my kids, I worked my arse off.
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“Now it’s like it was for nothing. I could have spent that time with my family.”
The family posted about the incident on social media, bringing on an outpouring of support from the community.
“How disgusting,” wrote Facebook user Sarah Smith.
“I hope you and your family receive the justice ya’ll deserve.”
Others couldn’t believe the audacity of the thieves.
“Fingers crossed the camera footage is good,” wrote Lynley Howell.
“If you need a hand with any clean up today, just give me a ring!”
Queensland Police confirmed they are investigating the break-in.
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