The botched robbery was discovered when staff came in to prepare for the day about 6.45 am on January 7, and were greeted with the strong smell of gas in the old church.
“They (staff members) asked what they should do, I told them to get our of there until I got there,” Friars Café owner Bec Dennis said.
“We called our gas supplier and they said they would send someone out, who arrived in about half an hour.”
Bec and a team discovered the smell was stronger toward the rear of the building, in a room that does not have any gas appliances.
“Being in an older building there was always the concern that something could be broken. But for that reason we make sure our gas and electric appliances are safe,” Mrs Dennis said.
“The guy from Gas Choice asked if we had a hot water system and whether it was that.”
When they went around to check the hot water system, they found copper pipe that feeds gas to various parts of the building had a hole in it.
“Someone had tried to cut it off the wall – straight off the main gas line,” Mrs Dennis said.
“There was quite a lot of damage. It looked like it was theft and not just vandalism.
“The guy from Gas Choice said if it wasn’t found until hours later it could have leaked into the kitchen.”
After remaining closed for the morning, the café was able to open at 9.30 am.
“We’re just happy it was able to be resolved so quickly. It was a bit of a scary morning,” Mrs Dennis said.
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