Warning over dangerous stolen fireworks
Rose Harland • Published 22 Oct 2010 10:00
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POTENTIALLY deadly professional-level fireworks worth an estimated £5,000 have been stolen from a warehouse.
Police and the fire brigade have issued an urgent warning to buyers not to be tempted by them because they should only be launched from metal cylinders with a 100m safety radius - and they only have a six second fuse.
The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “These are potentially lethal and could cause serious injuries and extensive burns when used by amateurs. They burn at high temperatures and could set surrounding items on fire. They are not designed for use outside of a professional display setting.”
The exact quantity and type of the fireworks is unknown. The warehouse they were taken from is in Waterloo Road between Wokingham and Bracknell but for operational reasons, police are not giving out any more details of the incident.
PC Barry Johns, of Wokingham police station, said: “The fireworks stolen are professional fireworks, so we are very concerned about the theft from a public safety point of view. The fireworks are designed for use by trained professionals and they are used in large displays and never sold for retail.
“The nature of some of the fireworks taken, called aerial shells are that they are designed to be launched out of metal cylinders, propelling them into the air with only a six second fuse.
“They should have a safety radius of around 100 metres - so could have fairly dire consequences in an average garden.
“The public should be aware of how dangerous these could be and only buy from businesses that have a licence to sell fireworks.”
“I would urge you to please report any suspicious person or activity, or indeed any information that would assist in tracing the whereabouts of these fireworks.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505 or the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.
This article appeared in Bracknell News 22 Oct 10
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