Shop shutters glued

Published 7 Jul 2012 06:30 3 Comments

SEVEN shops in the same building were unable to open after strong glue was put in their locks.

The owners, in Market Street, in Bracknell town centre, were forced to pay £80 each for a locksmith to replace the locks on the roller shutters in front of the windows after the attack, which happened some time between 2-8am on Saturday last week.

The businesses also lost trading time while the locks were being changed on Saturday morning.

Police have received five reports of shops being glued, but Ian Benham, manager of Bracknell Tiles, said he thought seven shops were targeted - though not three others in the building.

He did not know why some were sabotaged and not others. He said: "The air was quite blue in Market Street. I've no idea why they did it. I want them to cough up what it's cost me."

Ajith Alwis, who owns Oriental Foods with wife Alicia, had locked up at 8pm on Friday, June 29 then got up at 2am on the Saturday to go to Billingsgate Fish Market, in east London, to buy fresh fish.

He arrived at the shop at about 7.30am to find the shutter glued, and started looking for a locksmith. It meant that when some regular customers arrived at 8am the shop was still closed so they went away empty-handed.

The shop was then open by about 9.15am but not being able to sell the fish at full price to their usual buyers meant the shop lost about £200. It also paid £80 for the lock to be replaced.

Mrs Alwis said: "It's really bad. I don't know why anyone does this kind of thing. It's a pain. We don't feel very safe because we are thinking they might do it again."

Police spokeswoman Rebecca Webber said officers had received five reports of shutter locks being filled with glue at shops in Market Street, Bracknell, overnight on June 29 to 30. No arrests have been made.

Contact PC Natalie Barette via on 101 with any information.

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• 

  honeybear
  288 posts
  Jul 8, 06:34
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  If the CCTV had been working it probably would have prevented this or even caught them. If you cannot afford CCTV or is ineffective why is the area not patroled by police.
  
  Another own goal by Bracknell Forest.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 2     No 0

• 

  BruceDenney
  42 posts
  Jul 10, 08:29
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  I hope this is a one off.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 1     No 0

• 

  keithd
  1 post
  Jul 13, 13:31
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  cctc or policing in area, these little toads know that, IF caught, their punishment would be laughable. However, if these shopkeepers catch them at it and act to save their businesses from further losses, you can rest assured that the authorities would come down heavily on them? It`s all so wrong, but the way of the world right now? Fingers crossed the "pranksters" are bored now and move along. Bracknell is not the reasonable little town we used to know, but then, where is?
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

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