The ram raid at the clothing store on Steenweg in Helmond also hit the other entrepreneurs in the street hard. Especially since it is already the third burglary in a year. “This will only make you sad.”
Pim Jagers knows all too well that this is not the first time. His fashion store was also the target of a ram raid this year. “It was the day before the last lockdown came off. Then they forced the door and removed certain expensive brands from the store.”
It is therefore logical that he now feels extra sympathy for the owners of Barrows, where part of the loot is still on the street on Wednesday morning. The thieves lost them when the tailgate of the car turned out not to be closed properly during their flight.
“Terrible,” says Jagers. “He is a young man who has only just arrived here. And that in a time when entrepreneurs already have to fight so hard. You don’t wish this on anyone.”
Tim van Leipsig immediately agrees. He runs a flower shop a little further down the road and was once robbed himself. “This makes you sad. I know those people well. They just opened that beautiful building. Then the tears almost spring to your eyes.”
Could the owners have taken even better security measures? “There’s not much you can do about it. There will always be people trying to get in for money. That happened 20 years ago and will still be the case in 30 years. I just hope they get caught.”