Thieves ransack 'healing centre' twice in six weeks

Worker Germn Rodriguez at OMH Therapies.

Staff say they are baffled as to why the OMH Therapy Studio on Thistle Street, which offers services including massage and aromatherapy, has been targeted.

In the latest incident, the salon was broken into on Thursday with the raiders spilling merchandise on to the floor as they looted the outlet. They fled with a pair of expensive speakers, a day's takings and an iPod.

In the previous raid in mid-September, crooks broke into the then unfurnished shop, making off with a music system.

Shop owner Sadna Sodha, 50, said she was "gutted" by the double break-in but vowed to make the business a success despite the setbacks.

"It's really quite upsetting and I'm a little shocked because (Thistle Street] is supposed to be an upmarket retail area and this is not something you would expect here," she said.

"The first time we were broken into they didn't mess anything up but this time they created a real mess. It was almost childish and nasty the way they searched the shop, pulling things from the shelves and cupboards. There was no need to cause this mess.

"When you are a small business you put in everything you have into it. Right now it's like we've taken five steps forward and three steps back, but what can you do? We're just trying to stand on our own two feet and it's very disheartening to see this happen.

"The worst thing for me is that so much work goes into doing the shop up with great care, love and attention and then something like this happens. You think you can do without 20 locks but it seems that you can't. It's a very short space of time since it last happened but they were looking for money probably."

She added: "I thought being a place of healing I would be protected from this kind of thing."

But Ms Sodha, who ran a similar enterprise at Edinburgh Airport for four years, put a brave face on the ordeal. "I have been in worse situations than this. This is a minor setback," she said.

A police spokesman said: "An investigation is under way following a report of a break-in at business premises in Thistle Street sometime between Wednesday night (November 3] and Thursday morning.

"Police are appealing for anyone who may have been in the area at the time, and who may have any information regarding the incident, to come forward."

An OMH Therapy Studio launch night has been scheduled at the Thistle Street store for Friday, November 19.