BURGLARS who were disappointed to leave a restaurant raid empty-handed unplugged two ice cream freezers on their way out.

About £200 worth of ice creams melted in the incident, at Dedham Boathouse restaurant, at about 3.15am on Wednesday - bringing the total number of break-ins at the site to around 14.

Although manager Chris Sobolewski will not be deterred from trading, he fears burgling businesses in the quiet village is all too easy to get away with.

He said: “It makes us stronger - we are not that easy to break.

“But it’s happened at least once a year since we opened in 2008 and it’s really upsetting for all of us.

“It’s such an empty area - there’s no one around and unfortunately it’s just easier to get away with it.”

The popular tourist spot was last targeted in June, when a man posing as a customer took £50 from the till.

This time, raiders forced open the wooden kiosk and ransacked it for cash, which is not left in the premises overnight.

Mr Sobolewski said “at least two” people were caught on the restaurant’s CCTV and both were wearing hooded tops.

But he said: “They clearly knew how to avoid our CCTV. As soon as they spot the camera, they avoid it.

“About a year ago, we had a break in and got really clear footage of the person’s face.

“But even though we posted it on Facebook, still nothing.”

The manager, who runs the Boathouse with around 30 staff, said he felt sorry for police trying to solve burglaries like this one.

He said: “The law needs to change - even when people are prosecuted, the worst case scenario is probably community service.

“What I would say to them is, consider the people you upset by your actions.

“It’s not about money - it upsets the whole community.”

Police are investigating, call 101 with information.