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Crooks escape with sex shop goodies
7:30pm Thursday 13th September 2007
An Aladdin's cave of sex toys has been raided by thieves.
Some £5,000 worth of vibrators and other kinky accessories have been swiped from sex shop Taboo's storage unit, off Dyke Road in Brighton.
But bosses believe the crooks were probably unaware what they were stealing as the boxes were unmarked.
Hundreds of vibrators, magazines and other pleasure-gadgets were being held in the locked-up garage.
The outlet, which was voted best of its kind nationally in 2006, is believed to have fallen prey to professional burglars.
Hay was found around the lock-up and is thought to have been used to pad the get-away vehicle so as to avoid noise.
Managing director Tim Richardson found his store had been broken into at 7.30am today.
Taboo is set to open a new store in Gardener Street, North Laine, called Lush, styled on the high-street success of shops like Ann Summers.
The garage had been a hive of activity in recent days as lorry loads of goods arrived for the opening in October.
Mr Richardson said the theft was a blow.
He said: "I have got to sit down and work out how to get out of this.
"We are devastated because it is a big loss - there was almost a shop worth in there.
"What are they going to do with them? It is not the kind of thing you can sell in a pub.
"I think it was a professional job as they must have been watching us."
A Sussex Police spokeswoman said: "The owner noticed the locks had been broken and contacted police at around 8am.
"It is not yet known whether the offenders knew what was in the boxes, but we think they may have problems trying to sell such items on.
"If anyone has information about the whereabouts of the items stolen, please contact us on 0845 6070999 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111."
Forensic experts were tonight due to visit the storage unit to try to collect evidence that could identify the offenders.
Mr Richardson is now offering a £1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Taboo is one of four adult shops in the city, including the long-established Private Shop in Surrey Street.
Your Say YourArgus
Flat Foot Soozie, Brunswick Square says...
7:58pm Thu 13 Sep 07
Quite.
Dennis, Brighton says...
8:07pm Thu 13 Sep 07
Keith the Gimp, Brighton says...
8:24pm Thu 13 Sep 07
ray ellerton, portslade says...
8:29pm Thu 13 Sep 07
John, Cyberspace says...
8:33pm Thu 13 Sep 07
"Do you sell vibrators?"
"Yes madam."
"How do you turn them off?"
Stroller, Hove says...
8:51pm Thu 13 Sep 07
Has he never been in a Brighton pub?
Phil, says...
8:58pm Thu 13 Sep 07
Sex mad, Brighton of course says...
9:15pm Thu 13 Sep 07
Louis, Brighton says...
9:20pm Thu 13 Sep 07
Robbo, brighton says...
9:24pm Thu 13 Sep 07
Anne-Marie, Brighton says...
9:32pm Thu 13 Sep 07
Flat Foot Soozie, Brunswick Square says...
9:37pm Thu 13 Sep 07
John, Cyberspace says...
10:02pm Thu 13 Sep 07
"Have you ever used a vibrator or sex toy? Tell us your experiences below."
Stroller, Hove says...
10:10pm Thu 13 Sep 07
Surely some more detail is needed here?
Barry, whitehawk says...
10:22pm Thu 13 Sep 07
Stroller, Hove says...
10:30pm Thu 13 Sep 07
Shakin Stevens, Hove says...
11:44pm Thu 13 Sep 07
ceekin frunt, port sladley says...
12:02am Fri 14 Sep 07
in the **** with strap ons
Gary, Brighton says...
7:33am Fri 14 Sep 07
Stroller wrote:Just keep an eye open for shifty looking people but with huge smiles on their faces.
"Forensic experts were tonight due to visit the storage unit to try to collect evidence that could identify the offenders."
Surely some more detail is needed here?
Flat Foot Soozie, Brunswick Square says...
8:43am Fri 14 Sep 07
Gary wrote:Ah, so the villains been narrowed down to the Councillors now!
Stroller wrote:Just keep an eye open for shifty looking people but with huge smiles on their faces.
"Forensic experts were tonight due to visit the storage unit to try to collect evidence that could identify the offenders."
Surely some more detail is needed here?
Matt Heath, Glaxo Smith Klein employee says...
8:56am Fri 14 Sep 07
Steve Stevens, 1worthing says...
12:07pm Fri 14 Sep 07
Pete, saltdean says...
1:19pm Fri 14 Sep 07
Steve Stevens wrote:I agree with Steve.....What is a Black Mamba Bottom Intruder anyway ?
If shops selling these tools of the devil were not given licences in the first place, this robbery would never have taken place.
john b, says...
2:45pm Fri 14 Sep 07
Would this involve the ultra violet light that CSI use and following the white trail?
Taylor Richardson, says...
3:00pm Fri 14 Sep 07
m, says...
4:54pm Fri 14 Sep 07
john b wrote:Guess this will lead to a sticky ending when they do realise what they have!?
"Forensic experts were tonight due to visit the storage unit to try to collect evidence that could identify the offenders." Would this involve the ultra violet light that CSI use and following the white trail?
m, says...
4:56pm Fri 14 Sep 07
caeos, says...
5:32pm Fri 14 Sep 07
TOMMY COOPER, HOVE says...
9:57pm Fri 14 Sep 07
Flat Foot Soozie, Brunswick Square says...
10:38am Sat 15 Sep 07
John, Cyberspace says...
3:41pm Sat 15 Sep 07
marcus, hove says...
6:16pm Sat 15 Sep 07
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Managing director Tim Richardson
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Dave, Tunbridge Wells says...
7:48pm Thu 13 Sep 07