THE owner of a family opticians in Christchurch has hit out after around £12,000-worth of designer sunglasses were stolen just months after an identical burglary.

Raxworthy Visioncare in Bargates was targeted on Sunday morning.

More than 50 pairs of Maui Jim sunglasses, with a total retail price in the region of £12,000, were taken from a cabinet after the culprit broke in through a window at the rear of the premises.

As previously reported by the Daily Echo, Raxworthy was targeted in similar fashion back in March. Despite police investigations, no one was charged with the burglary.

After the first break-in, owner Richard Taylor ramped up security with additional lighting at the rear of the building and more secure windows.

However, these measures failed to prevent the burglary, which took place shortly before 6.30am.

Mr Taylor, who is also clinical optometrist at Raxworthy, said he had been left furious after being targeted again.

“I feel angry. They came in and specifically went for those glasses,” he said.

“I have been checking eBay, Gumtree, all over the internet since March and they haven’t come up anywhere. I don’t know where they are selling them. It is not a situation where another opticians would take them on.

“At the end of the day I can’t keep having this take place, it is going to affect my business.

“We can’t keep suffering with a situation where we are losing so much.

“I know I am not going to get the sunglasses back. I just want whoever did this to face justice. I believe they are not just stealing from us, others are probably affected as well.”

An hour and half before entering the premises, the offender smashed a security light at the rear of the building.

CCTV from inside the opticians shows the burglar go straight to the cabinet containing the sunglasses.

An alarm message was sent to Mr Taylor’s mobile phone, which alerted him to the break-in.

By the time he had accessed the CCTV remotely the culprit had already left the scene.

Mr Taylor said he is now going to have to take further security measures to prevent another burglary. “It is going to have to be bars on windows now I am afraid. We are going to have a bit of prison look, but what can we do?” he said.

“I’m sure it is organised crime. To come at 5am and knock out security lights then come back an hour and half later speaks for itself.”

Mr Taylor said he believes the culprit, or an accomplice, came into the store while they were open to understand what security measures had been put in place since March.

He added: “It is worrying to know we are being watched during the day. We are just trying to do the best we can.

“There were people in the last few months, who have come into the store taken a quick look around and then left. We sadly have to be suspicious now, but you can’t go up to people and assume they are up to something.”

Mr Taylor said he is willing to offer a reward if a criminal conviction is secured.

Dorset Police said they were making inquiries into the reported burglary and an investigation is ongoing.