More than £15,000 of designer clothes and jewellery has been stolen in two separate raids on an upmarket Black Country boutique which opened just four weeks ago.
Staff at La Pinza in Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, have been left devastated after burglars struck twice in two days, taking stock destined to grace some of Wolverhampton’s finest Christmas parties. The gang first hit last Tuesday when they broke into the shop in the early hours of the morning and stole dozens of evening dresses worth up to £300 each.
They made off with a collection of fine velvet garments by Italian designer Blitz, coats, capes and gilets. The haul is believed to have cost more than £15,000. But just as staff at the High Street shop, which was a toy store, were counting the cost of the first raid, when they were targeted again.
Two nights later a window was smashed and jewellery snatched from the display.
Manager Gail Round said she believed the culprits had been eyeing up the shop before they struck.
She said: “They got in the back of the shop through the door with a crow bar and then went upstairs and took lots of stock. They were very picky. They seemed to know what they wanted and what they didn’t,” she explained.
“I think someone had been in the shop previously and sussed us out because they knew exactly what to take,” said the manager.
“They went through the coats and took what they wanted from our evening wear. It is very upsetting, especially at this time of year, but we are back in business and looking forward to Christmas.”
Mrs Round said CCTV cameras were desperately needed in the precinct, which features a number of designer shops.
“It is something all the other shops would benefit from, so we really hope the authorities will take note of what is happening here.”
Her calls have been backed by Tony Young, manager of designer clothes store Le Monde, the target of ram raiders several times before. He said: “This kind of thing always happens at this time of year.
“In our case we believe it was organised gangs.”
By Becky Sharpe
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