CASH and equipment worth an estimated £1,000 were snatched after burglars threw rocks through two shop windows.
Neighbouring businesses Korky’s Cabin hardware shop and Guys and Molls hairdresser’s on Church Street, Chirk, were both raided yesterday.
The rocks used were believed to have been taken from a wall by the nearby war memorial.
Korky’s proprietor Jim McCorquodale, 58, said: “They smashed the front door with a rock and got away with a lot.”
The raid at 2.10am yesterday was caught on CCTV footage, which has now handed over to the police.
Petty cash from the till was taken as well as a bag full of jewellers’ equipment worth about £800 and some ancient silver coins of unknown value.
“I’ve had them for years. They’re pretty special,” Mr McCorquodale said.
“I’ve had to close all day because there’s glass everywhere. The glass on the door was reinforced and double glazed. It would have taken quite something.
“It was a two-kilogramme rock, the one next door was a six-kilogramme or seven-kilogramme one.”
He said it was clear the rocks were from the memorial as there were gaps in the wall where they had been taken.
Mr McCorquodale added: “It’s a real shame for the girls next door.
“They’ve taken hairdressing equipment that is worth a fortune to them, but worth next to nothing on the black market.”
Pauline Baker, 52, owner of Guys and Molls, said: “They smashed the bottom window of our door and climbed through.
“They took about £150 from the till, and whatever they could pick up – hair straighteners, gent’s clippers and scissors.
“There’s not a lot you can really take from here, but it’s cost me a lot of money – in the region of £800 by the time I’ve replaced what was taken.”
She said they were still open for business, however.
“You can always get by with spare scissors and so on,” she said.
Michael McGivern, speaking for North Wales Police, said the two burglaries were reported at 8.10am and 11.15am yesterday.
He said: “There were two burglaries overnight. Stones were used to break the windows. Police are looking into it.”
Anyone with information should call North Wales Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.