Gawler cafe saved from the brink after targeted crime wave, but ‘you can’t say it won’t happen again’

After three break-ins in one week, shutting for good appeared to be the likely option for the devastated owner of a popular suburban cafe – but her customers had other ideas.

After three break-ins in one week, closing up shop seemed like one of the only options for the shattered owner of the Gawler Heritage Cafe – until white knights in the community stepped in to offer fresh hope.

Owner Marie-Anne San Gabriel said the support she received in the wake of the break-ins was “overwhelming”, especially because it wasn’t just the local community showing their love, but the local member, a councillor and the state government.

Marie-Anne San Gabriel in her Gawler Heritage Cafe that was broken into twice in 12 hours. Picture Mark Brake

Member for Light Tony Piccolo, Gawler councillor Cody Davies, and the Department for Infrastructure and Transport – because of the cafe’s location in the Gawler train station – have all visited Ms San Gabriel to talk about what new safety precautions could be put in place to prevent any future break-ins.

“They are going to help me put some bars on the windows, and also a protective film on the glass out the front so it can’t be broken as easily,” she said.

“You can’t say it’s not going to happen again, but nobody can just break in again, with these changes it will take time.

“If they try, hopefully all the alarms will go off and police will be here before they can get inside.”

The Gawler Heritage Cafe had been broken into four times in 12 months, but it was a break-in on April 29, another less than 12 hours later on April 30, and yet another on May 3 that pushed her to breaking point.

Gawler Heritage Cafe owner Marie-Anne San Gabriel was “overwhelmed” by the support she received after multiple break-ins. Picture Mark Brake

Ms San Gabriel told The Advertiser on May 1 that she would be forced to close if she continued to get targeted by petty crime.

“It’s not about the drinks or chips, it’s about my effort to make this cafe look good and welcoming to the customers,” she said at the time.

“If it keeps happening, what do I do?”

With the new safety improvements to the cafe, Ms San Gabriel said she had no plans on closing the cafe.

“It means so much to me,” she said.

“Everyone has been telling me to stay, it has just been so overwhelming all the love and support I’ve received.”

But despite the support and safety plans, Ms San Gabriel said she felt like she had to remain hyper-cautious.

“I’m always there, I always just go and check the cafe,” she said.

“I can go home, put my feet up and relax, but I always think, ‘maybe I should go and check’, just in case something has happened.”

Originally published as Gawler cafe saved from the brink after targeted crime wave, but ‘you can’t say it won’t happen again’