Thrift store owner in Sudbury, Ont., frustrated after recent break-in

The director of a Sudbury, Ont., charity that also runs a local thrift store says she's frustrated after someone broke into the shop on Tuesday and stole jewelry and other items.

"I don't think people realize how bad it is right now," said Jill Pessot, who runs an animal rescue operationand helps to fund it by also running a thrift store on Notre Dame Avenue.

"Business owners are getting really frustrated because I think it's a, you know, something of a bigger picture that we're dealing with. I think the moral fibre in our society is just deteriorating."

Pessot saidthe store has had at least four break-ins in the last eight years. This latest one was caught on surveillance camera, showing a man throwing a brickthrough the front door .

In an email to CBC News, Sudbury police said the person who broke into the store fled by foot after taking several items.

A police investigationis ongoing.

Pessot saidthe person stole between $2,000 and $3,000 worth of items from the thrift store, and left a lot of damage.

"The whole front of the store was just, you know, glass shards."

The store also has a resident cat, saidPessot, who has lived through three break-ins.

"The last couple break-ins made herhideandshe was quite traumatized,"Pessot said.

"But this time she actually came out about 15 minutes after the police left."

Pessot saidshe shared video surveillance footage with police that shows the person responsible for the theft.

She expects police willmake an arrest, but added she doesn't have faith the court system will hold the personaccountable.

"I'm quite sure he's going to be back out on the street tomorrow processed with a piece of paperwork. I will not see five cents of my money back."