The High Street Shop Being Vandalised by Their Own Customers
On the high street, when a shop front window is smashed, it is more often than not the result of opportunistic thieves targeting high-value goods or mindless vandals intent on causing damage.
These attacks typically take place during the night when shops are closed and no one is around to witness the crime. However, there is one type of high street business that frequently faces vandalism not from thieves — but from its own customers: bookmakers.
In many cases, vandalism in bookmakers follows a familiar pattern. A customer places a bet or plays a betting machine, often staking a significant amount of money — sometimes all they have. When the bet doesn’t pay off, frustration and anger can quickly boil over.
This anger is often taken out on the shop itself, resulting in smashed betting machines, televisions, doors, windows and even till screens where staff are working.
Unfortunately, this is a recurring issue faced by both large bookmaker chains and independent operators across the UK.
Below are just a few notable examples of customers turning into vandals.
May 2017
In May 2017, a hammer-wielding man smashed up seven William Hill bookmakers across Liverpool in a series of revenge attacks, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.
The 29-year-old destroyed betting terminals, gaming machines and televisions, resulting in approximately £36,000 worth of damage. The man, who suffered from a gambling addiction, stated that the vandalism was a protest against the betting industry.
April 2016
In April 2016, a disgruntled gambler caused thousands of pounds worth of damage at two separate William Hill branches in Stevenage after losing a large sum of money on gambling machines.
After losing at the first shop, the 27-year-old struck a betting machine, knocked over a chair and kicked the front door on his way out. He then visited another branch on the high street where, after losing again, he pushed over a betting machine, smashed two more with a chair, wrecked two television screens and smashed all three shop windows before leaving.
February 2015
CCTV footage from February 2015 shows a man smashing the glass door of a Coral bookmakers after losing £80 on a gaming machine.
After staff approached him regarding his behaviour, the man became aggressive and kicked the glass pane in the shop door. He then attempted to smash the shop front window by kicking it and later using a chair, before giving up and walking away. The incident caused approximately £500 worth of damage.
At Window Security Solutions, we have worked with numerous bookmakers whose biggest vandalism issue comes from disgruntled customers. Repeatedly replacing broken glass in windows and doors quickly becomes an expensive and disruptive cycle.
This is where Hammerglass provides an effective solution.
Hammerglass is a virtually unbreakable polycarbonate material that offers the same aesthetic appearance as traditional glass — but is up to 300 times stronger.
Hammerglass is rated to Protection Level 3, the highest safety rating available for anti-burglary grilles and roller shutters.
If your business is suffering from vandalism, contact our team today to find out more about our window security solutions on 0161 413 0766.
Sources: Liverpool Echo, The Comet, Irish Mirror
