Designer store ram raided second time in months

In the early hours of Wednesday morning a silver or grey coloured car rammed the front of Style Gallery in Market Place.

This is the third time in a year the shop has been targeted by thieves.

A quantity of high end clothing worth thousands of pounds was stolen from the shop and placed into the car. Two males are believed to have been involved in the incident.

Only last October a car had smashed through the front doors of the shop and stole designer items.

Manager Aaron Taggart said: “This is the worst yet.

“They have taken thousands of pounds worth of clothes every time but they have caused most damage this week.”

On one occasion they targeted True Religion jeans worth up to £450 per pair.

On another they “cleared the racks” of designer clothes, but were interrupted.

On the first occasion the thieves smashed the front window to gain entry and used a car the second time so Aaron put up steel bars as a response.

“But this time they just smashed the car right through the doors.”

He has previously heard that the goods were being sold in west Belfast.

“The car that was used before was found burnt out in Andersonstown,” he added.

Lisburn Alliance Councillor Stephen Martin commented: “Traders operate in a highly pressurised environment at the best of times. To have thieves commit wanton acts of criminality in the dead of night in the heart of out retail business community just adds a fear factor that can be well done without.

“This isn’t the first time in recent times this particular premises has been targeted and it simply goes to show that some will stop at nothing to get what they want,” he said.

“I very much hope that the PSNI with the full support of the community are able to track down the perpetrators and bring them before the courts. I wish this family run business every success in bouncing back yet again from such an unwarranted attack,” added Mr Martin.

Police would appeal to anyone who witnessed the incident at around 5.15am on Wednesday morning or anyone with any information to contact CID at Lisburn Police Station on the new non-emergency number 101. If you prefer to provide information without giving your details you can contact the independent Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.