Sidmouth vandalism spree costs shopkeepers thousands

Four Sidmouth shops’ windows smashed in early morning attack

FOUR shop windows in Sidmouth’s Fore Street, a chapel window and two car wing mirrors were smashed during a spree of mindless vandalism early on Saturday morning.

Police were called around 3.20am after shopkeepers were alerted to the attacks on their property.

One victim, Stephen Kendall-Torry, who runs Pure Indulgence, was counting the cost of the vandalism this week.

He said: “When my phone rings at 3.30am you just know something has happened.

“One second of stupidity is, for everyone else, weeks of hassle.”

He reckons the incident will have cost �2,500 in having to replace a 12 foot by eight foot plate glass window, loss of business, loss of stock damaged by glass and replacement of some carpet, let alone the hassle it has caused.

“You can’t trade properly down one end of the shop, because when they are fitting the window there is no room for customers,” he said.

Stephen praised local police for their efforts to find the perpetrator and said they had been round all the shops to gather information.

“There are a lot more ramifications than just smashing a window. People assume you will get the money back because you are insured, but insurance premiums go up and the town will get a black mark against it with insurance companies.”

Other shops targeted were Stead & Simpson, Holland & Barratt and Martins’ newsagent.

A leaded window was pushed in and two panes broken at the Unitarian Old Meeting, High Street.

Police are seeking witnesses to these incidents. If you can help, call (08452) 777 444, quoting KS/10/627.