Shellfish business forced to close after raiders pinch lobsters

POPULAR family-run Lymington seafood business S & J Shellfish Ltd was forced to shut for a day after overnight raiders cleared out its stock of around £400 of live lobsters and cooked crabs.

Speaking to the A&T after the break-in, which took place during Monday night, manager Sharon Turner said the “horrible” incident had left staff feeling like their own home had been targeted.

The offenders smashed a lock with what was thought to have been a hammer to gain entry to S & J Shellfish Ltd on Snooks Farm, Snooks Lane, Walhampton.

A security light had been ripped from the outside wall and two exterior CCTV cameras had been tilted so they pointed at the sky. This led Mrs Turner to believe the scene had previously been scoped in preparation for the burglary.

“They ransacked the office, emptying all the drawers and putting the contents on the desk,” she said.

“They took the till, which police later retrieved from the end of Snooks Lane. It had been thrown over the gate. It had been emptied, but there was not a lot of cash inside – only an £18 float.”

The intruders escaped with a crate containing around 25-30 live lobsters, which had only been delivered by local fishermen on Monday. They also took a haul of around 40 cooked crabs, weighing 25 kilos.

Left with nothing to sell, the business was forced to remain closed all day on Tuesday, turning away customers and traders alike.

“It’s crazy,” Mrs Turner continued. “We had to let our orders down – our wholesalers. We had to phone them and say we couldn’t fulfil their orders.

“We were all out of work that day. All three of us are self-employed and we are all family.

“We spent much of the day clearing up and replacing the locks after the police forensics teams had been in.

“Even though this is only a place where we work, it’s horrible. It’s almost like having your own home broken into. We’ve spent every single day here. It’s a shame that some people have to stoop so low as to do something like this.”

Although the business was able to reopen for trade on Wednesday, Mrs Turner commented that it was still operating with a very limited stock.

The raid was a further blow to the family, coming as it was still grieving the loss of husband and father Dave Mitchell in November.

A renowned fisherman for half a century, Mr Mitchell had launched the business in 1990 after buying up Snooks Farm; and he remained the proprietor alongside his wife Joan up until his death.

This was the first time S & J Shellfish Ltd had been targeted by thieves during its three decades of trading.

Mrs Turner said she and her co-workers had been heartened by all the support received from members of the public, including over 100 shares of the post about the break-in on the company’s Facebook page.

Announcing the closure on Tuesday because “everything was stolen”, the post appealed for people to get in touch if they are offered live lobster or cooked crab in suspicious circumstances.

One Facebook user commented: “Keeping a lookout! Hoping you catch them and boil them in the pot!”

Mrs Turner told the A&T details of the raid had been shared by a number of fish companies, and she also praised the local fishermen for all the support they had provided.

“A lot of people are disgusted by what has happened,” she continued, also describing the police response to the incident as “absolutely fantastic”.

Officers investigating the raid are urging people to come forward if they witnessed any suspicious activity around the time it took place.

Anyone with information should contact the Hampshire force on 101, quoting crime reference number 44190068934, or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.