12:00a.m. 3rd December 2008

| By Alan Lander

Smiley's Jewellers sales assistant Della Dyble at the store after it was broken into. Photo: Michaela O'Neill/ 179727

Tanya Smiley has little left to smile about this Christmas.

The owner of Beerwah’s Smiley’s Jewellers had her shop broken into in the early hours of yesterday morning.

“We are still trying to assess the loss,” Ms Smiley said.

“It looks like $25,000 to $30,000 worth was lost.”

It’s a heartbreak for Ms Smiley, because not only has she no chance of sufficiently re-stocking for the Christmas season – she is unlikely to get an insurance settlement before the new year.

“It has been a tough year already,” she said.

“For the insurance claim, I will have to find every single invoice from over 1000 suppliers.

“And I won’t be able to get new stock in time for Christmas.”

As Ms Smiley and her staff cleaned up the mess yesterday, she said she believed the break-in was “a specific hit”.

“They cased the place but it’s right in front of Woolworths and their staff keep an eye on the shop.”

Ms Smiley said there was Woolworths staff on all night.

“The night manager said (the situation) was so weird.

“(The burglars) must have known staff were there.”

She said the thieves had taken all the “bread and butter” items, leaving more unusual and easily identifiable pieces.

“They targeted certain things, and they were clever about it.

“They knew alarms were going off.

“People came out of Woolworths shortly after (but) it had all happened by then.”

Ms Smiley said a hire car was spotted in the vicinity which may have been associated with the crime.

But all she cared about was that no-one was hurt in the robbery.

“Material stuff can be replaced,” she said.

Anyone with information that could assist police should contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.