A shop owner said he was “devastated” after his business in south Dublin was broken into overnight.

Des Kennedy woke up after 4am this morning to calls from gardai to notify him of a break-in at the Centra store in Stepaside.

Mr Kennedy said that a sum of money was taken and that the windows were smashed in. Photos from the scene show glass spread across the ground and an empty cash register on the counter.

The shocked owner said it was particularly devastating because the shop had recently celebrated its 60th anniversary.

“I’m absolutely shaking from it. I live about eight minutes away and when I arrived, the damage had been done,” Mr Kennedy told Independent.ie.

“We’re absolutely devastated, but we’re hoping to have it back up and running this morning.”

Gardai have confirmed that they have launched an investigation into the incident.

“Gardaí are investigating a burglary at a retail premises in Stepaside Dublin 18 that occurred on 16/11/18 at approximately 4:14am. A window was smashed and a number of items were taken,” a garda spokesperson told Independent.ie.

“No arrests have been made at this stage. Investigations are ongoing.”

Minister Josepha Madigan described the incident as “disturbing” and said her thoughts are with Mr Kennedy.

“I’m saddened and angry to see that another shop has been broken into overnight,” Ms Madigan said.

“This time it was Des Kennedy’s Centra shop at 4am. My heart goes out to him. Such despicable acts of thuggery in a lovely village like this is disturbing.”

Transport Minister Shane Ross, visited the shop this morning and spoke to Mr Kennedy about the incident.

Minister Ross said on Twitter: “Outside Des Kennedy’s Stepaside shop after 4am break-in last night. Typically Des reacted ‘At least no one in the community was hurt.'”

Last week, three Stepaside businesses were targeted in an early morning raid on November 6. 

The gang first attempted to break into the Flemings butcher shop, before making their way to Simply Fresh fruit and vegetable shop next door.

CCTV footage obtained by Independent.ie shows a raider using a hammer to hit the glass more than a dozen times before kicking it in.

He then walked into the shop, spending a minute there, before coming out, getting back into the car, and being driven around the corner to the Borza take-away.

A man in his 20s appeared at the Central Criminal Court in relation to the three burglaries on November 6 and was charged on November 7, gardai confirmed.

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