A Dublin restaurant owner has said he is considering hiring a security firm to patrol the city centre.

It follows a string of break-ins at premises in the capital in recent months.

Despite having a large amount of CCTV footage and Garda involvement, they say nothing is being done as the perpetrators are back on the streets 'the next day'.

Medley Restaurant Director Andrew Rudd told Lunchtime Live thieves tried to break their windows just before Christmas.

"We have toughened glass so it shattered, and that's the benefit of having toughened glass... so they didn't manage to penetrate the building," he said.

"But it took about six weeks to get the glass replaced.

"It's about four metres high and it cost something in the region of €3,500.

"It is happening a lot - the Guards were called over, they were really proactive.

"They got the CCTV footage not only from my footage but the Irish Aviation Authority are based above me so there's cameras everywhere.

"Even that isn't a deterrent."

'Nothing happens'

Mr Rudd said it may be worth taking security into their own hands.

"They go to court [and] they may get a prosecution [but] nothing happens," he said.

"So, I just wonder whether we should look at speaking to Dublin City Council and having a security firm patrolling the city centre to take the responsibility to a certain degree off the Guards".

Mr Rudd said he might put his proposal to the City Council as he is hosting two events with them shortly.

A smashed door inside the Bootleg restaurant. Image: Instagram/bootleg_dublin

The Bootleg Restaurant was broken into and robbed just two months after being opened.

Thieves smashed through their front window stealing the tills, stock and all the staff tip bundles.

Manager Robert Hayes told the show the perpetrators don't care if they're caught.

"The same thing happened to me that's happening to a lot of small businesses around the city," he said.

"There's just break-ins of the likes we haven't seen before where there's just really no care on getting caught at all.

"They're just coming straight in through front windows.

"I've got another restaurant called Big Fan, we've been broken into three times - twice by the same guy."

CCTV footage from the Bootleg restaurant in Dublin. Image: Instagram/bootleg_dublin

Mr Hayes said businesses can only do so much to protect themselves.

"You put your measures in, you've got your CCTV, you've got everything; but if somebody's just climbing straight through a front window with no masks, gloves [or] anything they don't really care," he said.

"We're by no means the only one, this is happening really often.

"It's tough for small businesses because there's so many different changes at the moment.

"Small businesses in the city centre have a really hard time anyway and then you have these expenses on top of it".

'Out on the street the next day'

Mr Hayes said there's nothing to deter the robbers.

"It happened in my other business as well whereby it was the same guy twice," he said.

"The detectives have a whole load of case against him, they have ample evidence that they bring to court.

"The reward for them must be very difficult because they go to court and the system just throws them out on the street the next day.

"The same person who you know has robbed you is coming up the next day and asking, 'Do you have a cigarette?'

"There's no real suffering for them if they get caught," he added.

Mr Hayes said such robberies can 'cripple' a business.

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Main image: A smashed door of the Bootleg restaurant in Dublin city. Image: Instagram/bootleg_dublin