Thieves break into summer bar Den Hof in Sint-Eloois-Winkel, steal cash register contents

The summer bar Den Hof in Sint-Eloois-Winkel, near Ledegem, has become the target of a break-in, with thieves making off with the contents of the cash register and waiter's portfolios. The incident occurred overnight, and the owner estimates the damages to be in the thousands of euros.

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He saw the forced door and knew immediately that something was wrong.

The discovery was made by the pop-up bar's chef on Saturday morning. "He saw the forced door and immediately knew something was wrong," said owner Gilles Vens. The police have launched an investigation, reviewing surveillance footage that captured two individuals entering the bar shortly after staff had locked up at 3 a.m.

"They forced the door to the office space," Vens explained. "They took the waiter's portfolios, which contained the starting cash for Saturday, and the contents of the cash register, amounting to several thousand euros." The thieves likely gained access by exploiting a weakness in the perimeter fencing, with one of the cover stones having fallen down.

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They forced the door of the office space. They took the waiter's portfolios with the starting cash for Saturday and the contents of the cash register, amounting to several thousand euros.

Despite the setback, Den Hof has reopened for business. "We won't be deterred. We hope the perpetrators are caught quickly. It's truly incomprehensible how they managed to take the earnings we all worked so hard for in such a short time," Vens added.

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We won't be deterred. We hope the perpetrators are caught quickly. It's truly incomprehensible how they managed to take the earnings we all worked so hard for in such a short time.