An Ipswich hairdresser who lost out on his busiest day of trade after being burgled before Christmas says it happens almost every year.

Gianni Falcucci, the owner of Franco’s on Upper Orwell Street, was devastated to discover that his business had once again been broken into on the Saturday before Christmas.

“We were left in a right kerfuffle trying to open,” he said.

“They’d done away with our till and the hairdressers’ equipment, so I had to write-off about 50% of our busiest day of the year.”

Mr Falcucci, 39, who has worked at Franco’s since he was a young boy, is concerned the location leaves it vulnerable to “drunken idiots” who end up there after a night on the tiles.

He claims to have been broken into at least six times during Christmases over the past decade and is fed up of the trouble it causes him and his staff.

“This is the worst street in Ipswich,” he said.

“It’s the same every year, drunken disrespectful idiots - they’ve got no morals.”

The thieves broke into the business overnight between Friday, December 20 and 7.30am the following morning, making off with hairdressing equipment, Wahl clippers, thinning scissors, four electric curling brushes, GHD straighteners, and iPod touch and docking station and a till containing cash.

Mr Falcucci estimates the value of the stolen items to be at least £600 but says the loss in trade on such a vital day of trade was even greater, despite rushing out to buy replacements in time to reopen.

“At the end of the day we just had to get on with it,” he said.

Suffolk Constabulary is appealing for anyone with information to contact PC Shaun Taylor from Ipswich on 101, quoting IC/13/5255. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.