Detectives are investigating after three businesses in Peel were burgled in the same night.

The raider struck at Davison’s ice cream parlour, Duncan’s Diner on Michael Street and a hairdressers on Castle Street overnight Monday-Tuesday this week.

Police last week warned people to be vigilant and to review security following an increase in commercial burglaries in recent weeks. Those premises were all unoccupied and cash and power tools were taken.

Cash was stolen from all three premises in Peel.

Ian Davison, who is chairman of Peel Commissioners, revealed a crow bar was used to smash a side door of the ice cream parlour and images of the intruder were captured on CCTV.

He said: ’They came in through the side door using a crow bar.

’We keep all the cash in the safe so we lost very, very little. They smashed open one of the tills and took the float.’

Mr Davison (pictured) said the intruder, who struck at 3.30am, had caused a lot of damage to the door which was having to be replaced. ’It had small panes of glass in the top and it’s been ripped in half as it was crowbarred down the side,’ he said. He said CCTV images had been provided to the police. Extra security measures were put in place after the ice cream parlour was last broken into 10 years ago, he added.

Mr Davison said he would be raising the issue of police budget cuts and the constabulary’s recruitment and retention of officers at the next meeting of Peel Commissioners.

He said: ’There are cutbacks for education, health and policing - three things they could do well to avoid.’

Anyone with information on the burglaries should contact police HQ on 631212 or dial the anonymous Crimestoppers hotline on 0800 555 111.