
A Dundee store has been raided for the second time in a month.
Crooks forced their way into Mortali Newsagents, on Charleston Drive, just before midnight on Monday.
Thieves stole cash from the store’s till and made off with £800 worth of cigarettes.
It is the second time the shop has been targeted in a month, after a similar break-in on September 11.
At the time, store owner Robbie Mortali told The Courier thieves had used bolt-cutters to force their way into the shop’s front door.
After the latest raid, Derek Mortali, father of the store’s owner, said: “We’ve been here for 22 years, my son for the last four, and this had never happened before — until last month. It’s very upsetting.
“They took cash and cigarettes. About £800 worth of cigarettes and float money from the till.”
A Tayside Division spokesperson confirmed: “Police Scotland is carrying out enquiries after a break-in to a newsagents at Charleston Drive at just before midnight on Monday October 9.
“A two-figure sum of money and a quantity of cigarettes were stolen.
“Anyone with any information that may be useful should contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting CR/26424/17 or speak to any police officer. Alternatively information can be passed anonymously via the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Police said previously they believe a trio of raids in the same area on Friday September 29 were linked.
The first attempt happened at the Spar shop on Glamis Road just before 1am.
The would-be-thief fled after the store’s alarm sounded.
Two stores in the Charleston area were then raided during the early morning blitz.
Thieves forced their way into a shop on Brownhill Road shortly after 2am and helped themselves to alcohol and cigarettes.
Similar items were then stolen from a Best One store on Craigmount Road at around 4am.
A worker at Best One confirmed she had been alerted to the robbery at 4.30am.
She said: “I don’t think they just randomly decided to do this. I think they were in and out quickly when the alarm went off because they could have gone for the till.
“There’s stuff gone but I won’t know how much until they do the stock take.
“They’ve used wire cutters and bolt cutters to get in.”
CCTV footage from one of the shops shows three male suspects.

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