Camden News: Martin’s Butchers | Robbery | Van | Ahmed Said

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Camden News - by SIMON WROE
Published: 12 March 2009

Butchers Ahmed Said and Andy Quantrell outside Martin’s Butchers

Butchers bust a chop in High Street chase to catch stock rustlers

AS a general rule, it is unwise to steal from men with big knives and blood on their hands.
A Camden Town butchers got mistaken for easy meat by a thief who stole a van containing £5,000 of beef, fish and sausages from outside their premises on Friday – just in time for lunch.
But instead of standing around like nuggets, the men from Martin’s Butchers in Camden High Street gave chase in their bloody aprons.
While one ran after the “chop-lifters” on foot towards Camden Market, the other hailed a taxi and headed towards Kentish Town to cut them off.
Butcher Andy Quantrell, 49, said: “We’d just loaded up the van for delivery when a blue car pulled up, a guy jumped out, got into our van and then he was away.
“We never usually leave the keys in the van so they must have been watching.”
He added: “We saw it drive away so we went off after it.
“I think the thieves knew we would always chase after them. I’m a Northerner – I don’t like being robbed.”
The butchers lost track of the van near the Morrisons supermarket in Chalk Farm.
It was found abandoned and empty in Haven Street, less than half a mile away from the scene of the crime, the same night.
The whereabouts of the ribs, chicken wings and rib eye steaks remain unknown.
A police spokesman said: “Police can confirm that we were called on Friday March 6, 2009, at 1.50pm to report the theft of a motor vehicle in Camden High Street, NW1.
“The vehicle was recovered by police in Haven Street, NW1 at 11.19pm on the same day.”

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