Sophie Austin investigates the late-night campus crime that left the business $200 poorer and customers in shock.

The Bakehouse, University of Newcastle’s popular spot for a pie, was closed until 12PM on Wednesday after an unknown thief used a brick to break through the door overnight.

Customers were greeted with shattered glass and empty bellies as forensics investigated the robbery.

“Once inside they have broken the safe out of its bolts and taken it,” representative of The Bakehouse Joe told Yak Media. “The safe contained our daily float for the next day which is approximately $200. Nothing else was taken including a laptop which lives next to the safe.

“Due to the robbery we were unable to open until after forensic police had come out and we had cleaned everything up which was roughly 12PM.”

Students were quick to respond to The Bakehouse’s Facebook post regarding the crime, offended to hear that the damage had been done.

“Clearly they’ve never been to the Bakehouse before if this is how they treat it,” someone commented on the post.

“How could someone do this to such a sacred place, is lunch no longer safe?” another commented on the same day.

University of Newcastle’s The Bakehouse, Thursday the 12th of October, day after the crime. Photo by Sophie Austin.

University students and campuses have remained particularly vulnerable to theft and vandalism in recent incidents. In 2016, a man was photographed at Warabrook station on UON’s Callaghan campus just prior to forcing a teenage student to withdraw money from a nearby ATM.

In 2015, three people were charged with accounts of theft after attacking a university student on Callaghan campus. The medical student lost his backpack and suffered minor injuries.

In 2011, university students pioneered their own database reporting crimes involving UON students. It followed the events of an international student being hospitalised and another losing her tuition fees during household robberies in suburbs neighbouring Callaghan campus.

‘‘Definitely we have an issue with Jesmond and Birmingham Gardens,’’ UON Student Association’s International Convenor, Eduardo Carvajal, told the Newcastle Herald. ‘‘It’s not just international students but domestic students and the elderly being attacked there for whatever reason.

‘‘People think they can do whatever they want.’’

Waratah Police Station and Campus Security were unable to comment on The Bakehouse incident.

Feature image courtesy of The Bakehouse, permission granted.