“Opportunists” broke into the Rubis Causeway service station in Hamilton Parish — but owner Viv Redford was unperturbed.

He described the incident as a smash-and-grab, with the main door shattered and cigarettes littering the floor, but said it was nothing more than “a crime of opportunity”.

“It’s not a major situation — we thought it was storm damage at first,” Mr Redford said.

He received a call from the Royal Bermuda Regiment as they patrolled at 5am yesterday, alerting him to the apparent storm damage.

“The door appeared to have been blown out at first and when we looked it was clear that it had been broken into.

The culprits lifted cigarettes and liquor but “nothing else that we can determine”.

“It was a matter of smash that door, get in and grab what you can,” Mr Redford added.

The station was closed from mid-morning on Sunday after routine hurricane safety procedures were carried out.

Security cameras were unable to provide information because the station lost power in the storm.

“We had a very good response from Alumiglass,” Mr Redford added, with the new glass installed before the police arrived.

“Their response was first class. I called at 6 and a new door was in at 9.”

Police commissioner Michael DeSilva confirmed that this was one of three burglaries reported in the past 24 hours, including two at residences.

However, he could not attribute all three incidents to the period during which the Island was impacted by Joaquin.