ROOFTOP raiders looted a Kendal store stealing £8,000 in cash and £500 in mobile phone top-up cards during a precision planned assault, reports Lisa Frascarelli.
The burglars hit the storeroom of Superdrug in the Westmorland Shopping Centre some time between New Year's Eve and the morning of January 2 when the manager of the store discovered the break-in.
Police believe the raiders got into the store by breaking through the locked iron gates of the multi-storey car park on Blackhall Road, which adjoins the shopping centre, and then drove to the top level and entered the storeroom via the roof.
Lynn Ison, manager of the Westmorland Shopping Centre which is responsible for security at the South Lakeland District Council car park - said that the raiders had found a loop hole' in Superdrug's security system:
"Superdrug now has to review its own security system," she said.
"All the shops in the centre are linked through to the centre's main system. If they had entered the store in the way a customer would the centre's security system would have been activated."
Ms Ison added that the break-in did not mean the shopping centre needed to tighten up security measures:
"There is no need to increase security. The centre is fully alarmed. If anyone tried to access the centre out of hours by the doors then one of the alarms, which are linked to the police station, would be activated. Although the centre is not manned 24-hours a day we have a full security system in place. However, we are talking to SLDC as to whether they feel it necessary to increase security measures in the car park."
The thieves, who appear to have had knowledge of security at the centre, also managed to avoid being caught on the car park's only security camera.
Martin Pickering, operation supervisor at Westmorland Shopping Centre, said: "These people have done their homework. The camera has a certain view field and they managed to avoid it. I think they were a fairly professional outfit."
Police are appealing for witnesses to call 01539-722611.
Superdrug confirmed there had been a burglary but would not make any further comment.
January 8, 2003 10:00
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