Company offers £10,000 reward as gang targets mill business

Company director Peter Hemingway’s Bradford firm, which imports and sells aquarium supplies, has been broken into more than 20 times in the 13 years it has been in business.

But the latest burglary has hit him personally very hard because the premises in Barkerend Road are no longer insured and neither is the stock.

He said insurance companies had snubbed the business three years ago, deciding that a firm based in an old mill would be too risky to take on.

Mr Hemingway has appealed for information and appealed to the public to be vigilant for stolen aquarium supplies bearing the company name, Aqualine.

He estimates that the thieves removed stock weighing up to eight tonnes and caused £6,000 worth of damage to security systems and shutters at the Barkerend Mills premises.

“They smashed the security shutters, smashed internal doors, cut alarm cables and smashed their way out of the loading bay,” he said.

“They took 20,000 to 30,000 items that would have weighed six to eight tonnes.

“A good proportion of the products have our logo on them and are easily identifiable. The Aqualine logo is on the packaging and on the product itself.

“These are unusual products – air pumps, water pumps and heaters – and they will be difficult to sell on.”

For the last three years Mr Hemingway has operated the business without insurance because he could not find a company willing to take on the risk, he said.

“We tried to get insurance but companies do not like to insure mills in Bradford, although we only had a couple of claims.

“I have spoken to other business owners in Bradford and they are saying the same thing, that their insurance is being stopped as well.”

Although the company, which employs six people, has seen 20-30 break-ins during 13 years in business, the latest one is by far the most serious. It will mean more money has to be spent on security improvements.

“During 13 years in business, this is the most serious break-in. It has caused us severe problems because we are not insured. I am offering a £10,000 reward for information which leads to a prosecution and conviction.

“The criminals are making it almost impossible for us to run a business,” he added.

The break-in happened over the weekend and the thieves would have needed a large vehicle to take away all the goods.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said it was believed a large amount of stock was removed from the building between 5pm on Friday and 9am yesterday.

Heaters, pumps, thermostats, tanks and other specialist apparatus was among items stolen.

Bradford South Detective Inspector Mark Long said: “Hundreds of items worth thousands of pounds have been taken from this business.

“This could not have been removed quickly and it is likely that a number of visits were made by those responsible who will have been moving in and out of the building.

“The amount of stock taken also suggests that a vehicle has been used to transport it away. I would therefore ask that anyone who saw suspicious activity over the weekend in this area to come forward immediately.

“Likewise, I want to hear from anyone who has been offered specialist aquarium equipment like this in the past few days to let us know.

“We have undertaken a forensic examination of the area and our enquiries are currently ongoing.

“If you have any information or have witnessed this taking place, please call Bradford South CID on 0845 6060606 or Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.”

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