BURGLARS hurled a huge rock through the door of a luxury dessert restaurant.

Haute Dolci, in Bradshawgate was targeted in the early hours of Monday morning.

The restaurant only opened six months ago after a £500,000 refurbishment of the former Taylormade Betting building.

Moments before the break in, CCTV footage shows two people in hooded jackets. One of them picks up a large rock and walks off camera.

A similar looking rock was found in the restaurant when management came to open the store yesterday.

Ilyas Mallin, duty manager at the restaurant said: “Lots of glass was smashed. The window is cracked and there’s a hole in the door.

“We don’t actually hold any cash on site or anything majorly valuable so they’ve basically caused thousands of pounds worth of damage for the sake of an iPad.

“At around 2.15am it seems like someone tried to smash the window with no real success and then 4.20am they’ve managed to get in the front.

“There was a massive rock in the restaurant, about a foot wide and a foot in height.

“We’re looking at putting roller shutters up now which is another few thousand pounds.”

Mr Mallin believes that Haute Dolci may have been targeted as it is “high end” restaurant.

He added: “We’re a high end restaurant in quite a deprived area.

“Unfortunately people are regularly using drugs and drinking in Bradshawgate, as well as in the back streets. It’s a struggle.”

It follows an incident less than two weeks ago at fellow dessert chain Heavenly Desserts.

The glass front door was smashed by a slab and burglars stole cash from the till.

Owner Ish Ahmed said: “We are very disappointed and shocked given how much effort and resources have been put into renovation. It’s just mindless violence on a brand new shop. Thank god it wasn’t worse.

“We’ve now been told by people that the site gets burgled three to four times a year. We didn’t know that before.

“We are going to work closely with the police and town centre management to find out what happened. We have CCTV and that’s something we’re interested in looking into.”

The Bolton News has contacted Greater Manchester Police for comment.