£20k Newport fireworks theft leaves shop ‘on brink of bankruptcy’

1:10pm Saturday 27th October 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Will Bain

THE THEFT of £20,000 worth of fireworks has left a Newport shop on the brink of bankruptcy, its owner says.

Forty-eight boxes of fireworks including rockets, and boxes called “cakes” which fire out multiple fireworks were stolen from Newport Mascots and Party Supplies in Pill in the early hours of Monday morning.

Kerry Holland, 47, who owns the business with her husband Phillip, 49, said the theft had left her absolutely devastated and that she had no idea how the shop was going to survive.

Mrs Holland, who has run the business for more than two years, said: "I fell to my knees when I saw what they’d done.

"I don’t normally work on a Monday but I came in to do some paperwork. I opened the shutters and I just saw stuff everywhere. They had trashed the shop.

"I bought some of the fireworks on credit so I have an £8,500 bill to pay by November 15 or that’s it, it will bankrupt the shop.

"Business hadn’t been good last year so I didn’t renew the insurance. I’ve ordered some emergency stock from the company in the hope that I can sell those and pay off some of the bill but with so many fireworks out on the black market now it is going to be hard to sell them legitimately."

She was left shocked by the force used to get in to the property.

"We have a full front window metal shutter, bolts and locks on all the doors and all the windows have wrought iron bars on them," Mrs Holland said.

"The bars are drilled into the brick work but they have somehow managed to knock them out and then smashed the back window to get in."

Mrs Holland said the shop used to provide mascot costumes, like Mickey and Minnie mouse costumes, to charities such as Ty Hafan and the Ieuan the Lion Memorial Fund, but she feared that she would have to sell off most of those costumes, bringing this service to an end.

Police have asked anyone with any information to call 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800555111.

Comments(12)

Bobevans says...
1:33pm Sat 27 Oct 12

Trading without insurance besides being silly is also probably illegal as I am pretty sure a business has to have public liabilty insurance by law.

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33daverave says...
3:41pm Sat 27 Oct 12

£99 boxes are being sold on Facebook this morning for £35.I wonder if they are the ones.I have his name and he`s from Duffryn.

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cwmbran man says...
3:41pm Sat 27 Oct 12

If a business isnt turning over to at least supply itself with insurance its not really a viable business is it, probably a blessing to get from there while you still have your sanity, fingers burnt, lesson learned, its a rough area for business, and selling fireworks to all and sundry is irresponsible too.

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Limestonecowboy says...
4:12pm Sat 27 Oct 12

Should premises be without insurance when storing £20,000 of fireworks (explosives) ?

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emlynkide says...
9:15pm Sat 27 Oct 12

i, for one feel sorry for you, but having run a shop myself ins. was top of the list.

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parcel says...
10:50pm Sat 27 Oct 12

"THE THEFT of £20,000 worth of fireworks"

Well. that will down with a bang!

"I bought some of the fireworks on credit so I have an £8,500 bill to pay by November 15 or that’s it, it will bankrupt the shop."


More greed, than business acumen!

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Dee-Gee says...
10:53pm Sat 27 Oct 12

£20ks worth of explosives are in the hands of determined criminals. Tragic though it is, I'm not sure that "shop faces bankrupcy" is the biggest of the potential concerns here.

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smokintheweed says...
1:18am Sun 28 Oct 12

emlynkide wrote:
i, for one feel sorry for you, but having run a shop myself ins. was top of the list.
Eh?

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SUNSHINE ON A CLOUDY DAY says...
11:22am Sun 28 Oct 12

My concern is you have to be over 18 to buy fireworks but I am pretty sure whoever stole them will sell them to whoever has the money,please parents keep check on your kids to make sure if they are to young to handle fireworks that they havn`t got any.
And yes you should of had Insurance ( ins) as I priority it is not that expensive.

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jo_les66 says...
10:21pm Tue 30 Oct 12

Well with exception to a few of you, what a bunch of awful people you are, talk about kick someone when their down... as you are aware many businesses are struggling, these people are hard working and shouldnt be criticised so badly, No they never had insurance which im sure they regret, but it doesnt say anywhere that they dont have public liability, their shop was secure, so it must have took a bit of time and noise which somebody must have seen something, well i for one hope you dont close as its a lovely business and hope they catch the Scum..

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daisy92 says...
5:02pm Wed 31 Oct 12

kerry my heart goes out to you! you have done so much for so many people! especially the people of pill! shame on you all for kicking kerry while shes down! i hope you dont go bankrupt ker and seeing the 'closing down' sign on your shop really hit home! this lady gets up christmas morning and goes down with her family dressed up and gives the children of ty hafen christmas presents before she has christmas herself! ker you deserve a medal for what you do not this!! love and hugs and keep your head up!! xxxxxx

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petals45 says...
11:27am Thu 1 Nov 12

What a load of scumbags to rob Kerry of her fireworks. Anyone who knows her will know what a lovely kind hearted person she is. If you had brought fireworks from her before you would be aware she always slips a few extras in free. She will not sell to underage people and yes perhaps she didnt have insurance on the fireworks but she did pay for a licence to sell them and yes she does have public liability. If she wasnt so generous giving to charities all the time she would have been able to pay the insurance. Lesson learnt Ker, think of yourself more oftern dont be so kind hearted be like the scumbags youll be better thought of!

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