Raiders Force City Store to Close Down

By Emma Stone CRIME REPORTER

COVENTRY clothing store Wish is being forced to close its children’s boutique after falling victim to two raids within six months.

The boutique Mine Mine Mine, which is just doors away from Wish’s adult store in Hertford Street in the city centre, will close within weeks.

Raiders dramatically abseiled down three floors to break into the adult’s clothing store in June 2007.

They stole pounds 40,000 worth of designer clothes before climbing back up the wall of the nearby Natwest bank to make their escape.

It is believed the same gang targeted the children’s boutique – just doors away – days before Christmas.

This time the thieves abseiled down five floors to get into the store’s basement, stealing pounds 20,000 worth of designer clothes.

Now Karen Armstrong and her partner Karl Kelly, who own both stores, say they have been unable to recover financially from the effects of the two raids and will be closing Mine, Mine, Mine for good.

They left them with no stock to sell for weeks on end.

Karen said: "It is sad because we have loyal, long-standing customers.

It’s a huge disappointment.

The idea to open a kids shop was mine and so it is like my baby.

"It has taken a long time to get the shop just right, with the right mix of brands.

"The businesses along here are also quite sad.

This is the lonely side of the street – Stomp has closed and the Post Office is going. It is not good for the other shops.

"The customers are really disappointed as well."

The couple will be using the children’s shop as a clearance shop for Wish.

Eventually, the pair hope to open a cafe and gallery in its place and are applying for planning permission.

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