RIOTS: Ransacked - LA1 store owner says: ‘They knew what they were looking for’

LOOTERS who ransacked a trendy clothes store in the heart of Camden Town were former customers who knew exactly what they were looking for, the manager of the LA1 shop believes.
 

New Journal reporters saw the store on Chalk Farm Road, which sells trendy sports clothing labels such as Adidas and Carhartt, raided just before midnight on Monday night by around 15 young people as riot police looked on. 
 

The rioters crashed through the damaged metal shutters and in and out of the broken windows, grabbing what they could, before heading south along Camden High Street.
 

Riot police stood just 30 yards away – powerless to stop the brazen thefts as they had been faced with a barrage of broken bottles and paving slabs.
 

LA1 manager Tom Lloyd, Speaking to the New Journal as he cleaned up broken glass in the shop, which celebrates its 18th anniversary in September, said: “They were clearly people who know what our shop is all about. 
 

“They had to be previous customers. They knew to rush upstairs as well, where we keep premium denim lines. 

“They had to smash their way through another door to get there – they knew what they were looking for.”
 

Mr Lloyd and his staff turned up early on Tuesday morning and do a stock take. 
 

He said: “We are still tallying it up but we know we have lost thousands worth of stock.”
 

Items stolen included tops, Tshirts and jeans. Mr Lloyd said trainers were also stolen – but many were single shoes as they do not keep pairs on display. To add to the final bill, replacing the metal shutters that were ripped down and the large plate glass windows that were destroyed will also cost a four-figure sum to replace. 
 

Mr Lloyd added: “I saw pictures of the damage almost immediately after it had happened, and I also knew they if rioters came to Camden Town, we’d get hit, simply because of the type of clothing we sell.”
 

Popular pub The Lock Tavern was also attacked. General manager Nick Stephens was working and had been told by police that they may be targeted. 
 

He said he believed the pub, which had its windows smashed, was hit because of nearby building works. Mr Stephens added: “Just outside there was a pile of rubble where they have dug up the pavement. They just grabbed bits of concrete.”