Sweet result for owners

By Melissa Grant
A HOODED thief armed with a crowbar raided Cockatoo’s general store last week, but escaped with nothing more than a few lollies.
The store’s owners, Michael and Jemma Epstein who live at the rear of the shop, were woken up about 4am on Wednesday after the intruder smashed a window.
“We heard a bit of banging and my wife went out there and there was a bloke standing in the shop with a crowbar,” Mr Epstein said.
Mr Epstein ran to his wife’s aid but the thief had already been scared off.
“The guy hit the window so hard that glass went from the door all the way back to the fridge, which is a good 10 metres,” he said.
“My kids woke up as well.”
Mrs Epstein saw the man standing near a bushfire relief tin – but it never left the counter.
“He didn’t take the tin and he was standing right next to it – maybe he had a conscience,” Mr Epstein said.
Mr Epstein, who has owned the McBride Street shop for five years, said it wasn’t the first time someone had targeted it.
“It’s the 10th window we’ve had busted over the years but this is the first time we’ve seen someone in the store,” he said.
Detective Sergeant Phil Jury of Pakenham’s Criminal Investigation Unit said the intruder drove off in a late-model Red Commodore sedan.
He said the man was between 20 and 30, tall, of thin build and was wearing dark clothing with a hooded top during the raid.
Anyone with information is urged to call Pakenham police on 5945 2500.