ANOTHER BREAK-IN FORCES DEALER TO QUESTION FUTURE

Southern Mower Services, a family-run garden machinery dealership trading in Horndean, Hampshire, have suffered another break-in, this time losing £30,000 of Echo & Tanaka machinery.

Owner Pete Rhymes, told Service Dealer this week, "Despite improving our security following a break in last February, it appears that criminals are queuing up to get in.

"Last time we had someone smash the door window and steal money from the till and take a couple of customer saws. So we paid for bars around windows and doors.

"This time on 24th January at 23:30, three men took four minutes to basically smash their way through the security door and during their time in the showroom stole all the Echo, Tanaka and Harry machinery plus some STIHL customer repairs  - circa £30,000."

Pete continued, "They were either stupid enough to not notice we have vehicle recognition CCTV outside, as well as CCTV inside, or just didn't care. So we have been able to pass on the details of the three men and the black Ford Transit Custom (HT69 UCU) to the police who are investigating. We believe the vehicle used was a local job and we are pushing the police. The reality though, is that they don't have the resources to act and certainly not quickly. 

"We are also having problems with our insurers AXA, as they are looking for any way they can to get out of paying. I assume that's because the increase in crimes?"

This latest break-in, Pete says, has made him question the future of his dealership. "The cost and mental stress of this keeping happening is too much," he says. "I have now decided to short term move forward as a business without a showroom and to concentrate on only local sales offering PDI, delivery, warranty and repairs. Apart from where we have reached an agreement with the manufacturer, we will only do warranty repairs on what we sell. 

"Long term this will most likely mean relocating into smaller premises without showroom costs. Hopefully we can make this work - and if not, we close after 40 years."