Calls have been made for increased patrols around Portland Road following a spate of break-ins at independent shops and cafes.
At least four premises in the road have been targeted in the last few weeks, and more are thought to have taken place in the surrounding area.
In most cases, a window has been smashed and tills and cash boxes and even charity tins have been taken.
In the latest break-in, at the Chinese supermarket Asiana, two people were caught on CCTV inside the shop and a baseball cap was left behind.
Now, ward councillor Chris Henry, who is also Hove MP Peter Kyle’s director of operations, has called for more police presence in the area.
Councillor Henry said: “All these little independent places have been targeted.
“It branches out towards Old Shoreham Road but they’re obviously targeting these smaller places.
“The rewards are so little – they are stealing a bit of cash, but the costs to these businesses is so much higher.
“Peter Kyle has written to the new Brighton and Hove district commander Nick May and requested to speak to him about the spate of incidents in Portland Road and to put more resources in this area.”
Linda Lai from Asiana said: “Suddenly a lot of people in the area have been burgled.
“We think in the past three months, five shops in Portland Road have been broken into.
“It’s quite scary
“The robber left his hat and I asked the police would you like it as evidence. They came and took the hat but not the CCTV.
“They didn’t take much – they took the till which had about £20 or £30 in and the charity box.”
Katie Humphries of Tea Leaf cafe said they were broken into in early spring.
She said: “It was part of this spate of break-ins. They took about £200 in cash. They broke in through the front window and stole the cash box which I had put away.
“They left the tips though, which were next to the cash box, and the charity box.
“I don’t know if it’s the same people – they’re all coming in through the window.”
Cafe Monella was broken into earlier this month, and the Flour Pot Cafe within weeks of its opening last month.
A police spokesman said: “We have a record of a burglary at Cafe Monella in Old Shoreham Road, Hove, overnight on 12-13 June in which an empty till tray was stolen, and a burglary at Asiana in Portland Road, Hove, overnight on 23-24 June in which cash and a laptop were stolen.
“No connection has been established between the burglaries.
“Anyone with information can contact the police online at https://www.sussex.police.uk/
Good. I live in the surrounding areas and have been saying for some time that it is underpoliced. I am glad peter Kyle has taken the initiative he has. I am well aware of the pressures the police are under but do feel more a more visible police is long overdue
There are more traffic wardens than police on the streets – I think this speaks for itself! This has to change, its a disgrace and we the public are paying for it on many levels!