A series of break ins and acts of vandalism have been reported in the Lismore CBD over the last week - to the dismay of local business owners. 

Sportspower Fitness Warehouse is the latest business to be broken into - and joins the Stockpot Kitchen in a growing list of businesses battling vandalism after the flood. 

Sportspower shares a building on Molesworth Street with Cummings Electrical and a chartered accountant firm (located behind the old Cummings building).

Owner of the building, Elton Cummings said the owners of the sports store got broken into last Sunday morning. 

"The thieves must have looked at the place on the Saturday afternoon," Elton said. 

"They then came in at 5am on Sunday morning and cut live electrical wires which could have easily killed them. 

"They bashed out a power point and put their hand though a small hole in the floor and stole things off the racks.

"They stole about six shirt and pairs of shorts. 

"They left a torch with their finger prints on it - and they must have been small because they dug a hole under some bars and climbed under them to get out and in under the floor."

While the damage to the building has been repaired, and building security now increased, Elton said they were waiting to see what happens with fingerprints now.

"The damage to the building and the expense to us to fix it is far greater than the value of what they stole," he said.

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It's not the first time since the flood that the building has been broken into .

Directly after the flood when there was no power, Elton said there had been three separate incidents where vandals had smashed glass. 

"We stopped than by putting a person on site to sleep here who chased the thieves one night and kept them away," he said.

With lengthy waits for many buisnesses to get glaziers in to replace glass broken in the floods - as well as electricians to fix wiring, the actions of the vandals have astounded business owners. 

According to Elton, the situation is about to get worse.

"We have kids in town with nothing to do, nowhere to go, no bowling alleys, skating rink, no nothing - they are bored.

"The problem is idle hands - to get into trouble. But what will the kids do. It's a toughie."

Read more: SUNDAY PROFILE: on the couch with Elton Cummings talking about floods, business and rescue service

Stockpot Kitchen vandalised

Graeme Stockdale , owner of Stockpot Kitchen said his Molesworth Street premises was vandalised in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

He arrived at work Wednesday to find the front window smashed - so he shored it up with plywood.

After working to get his business operational after the flood, he is taking the vanadalism with good humour.

"I actually like the new plywood look," he laughed.

"We are fine. But I don't know why someone is running around town doing this - there's enough boards up already, we don't need more"

The Lismore App took a walk down Molesworth Street and saw another shopfront window smashed too.

Graeme said he had heard word about break-ins at other Lismore businesses, including Lion and Lamb and the Chinese restaurant.

Police respond

The Lismore App spoke to Richmond Police District Superintendent Scott Tanner about the recent vandalism and break-ins.

Supt Tanner said local police were aware of a number of break and enters over the last week - and they are still under investigation.

"We ask people to let us know if they see suspicious behaviour in town," he said. 

"It is deplorable behaviour for people to break into businesses affected by flood. 

"There's nothing lower - these people have suffered enough."

With less people walking about in the CBD these days, Supt Tanner said there are less "eyes and ears" reporting.

"But we have increased police presence in the CBD areaa and the CCTV cameras are operating in the CBD," he said.

"We know the Chinese restaurant was broken into a month ago - and we locked people up for that - and it was not juveniles."

Reduction

When it comes to statistics about break-ins in Lismore, Supt Tanner said he has seen a 30% reduction in them this year - as compared to the same time last year.

(It is worth noting that this year, there are a lot less businesses open than last year.)

If anyone notices anything suspicious in Lismore, Supt Tanner said they should call the Crimestoppers number 1800 333 000 or Lismore Police.

Another window on Molesworth Street was smashed.