A St George’s jewellery shop owner said it was “ridiculous” that the Olde Towne did not have a police station after his store was burgled for the second time in less than two weeks.

Jan Card, owner of Vera P. Card, said yesterday: “How can you claim to be a tourist town and not have a police station? It’s just ridiculous.

“Dockyard has its own police substation in addition to the Somerset Police Station. Why St George’s doesn’t is beyond me.

“All of the foolishness about old buildings and mould is red herrings. We all work in old buildings in St George’s.”

A police spokesman said burglars targeted the Water Street shop at about 4am on Friday.

He said: “It appears that three suspects wearing dark coloured, hooded tops gained entry into the store and stole a quantity of jewellery before making good their escape on foot.

“The scene has been processed and efforts continue to locate the culprits.

Three burglars broke into the store at about 3am on May 11, less than two weeks after the business reopened for the season.

Mr Card said both burglaries appeared to be “exactly the same”.

He added: “It’s pretty clear this time from the timing that these guys waited until the patrol vehicle left St George’s and then went to work.

“For someone selling precious metal jewellery in St George’s — and there are only two of us left — it makes you very nervous and it makes you consider no longer selling precious metal jewellery.”

Mr Card said that between the two burglaries, the business had lost “thousands of dollars” less than a month after opening for the season.

He wants action to be taken to prevent more burglaries.

Mr Card said: “Increasing the security will require us to put bars on the windows and doors, and that’s not exactly inexpensive. Financially, the numbers don’t work, so we can’t do that.

“If something doesn’t change, we have to take away the items that they want to steal, the jewellery, and the result of that to the business would be disastrous.

“If there’s not a change in the level of deterrence, then we cannot continue to do the business that we are doing in St George’s. That will leave only one jeweller for them to prey on, so you know what will happen next.”

Police have urged anyone with information about the offence — or who may have seen suspicious activity in the Water Street/Barber’s Alley area of St George between 3.30am and 4am on Friday, to contact Detective Constable Seymour Foote on 717-2282 or Acting Sergeant Ian Taitt on 717-2371.

Those with information can also contact the independent and confidential Crime Stoppers hotline on 800-8477.