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Over the past two years, a growing number of London retailers have found themselves repeatedly targeted by the smashing of shopfront windows with no apparent motive of theft.
The scale of motiveless shopfront attacks in London
Businesses across areas such as Chelsea, Mayfair, Islington and Oxford Street have reported more than 50 incidents of this nature. These often involving the use of tools such as emergency hammers, where storefronts are shattered overnight, yet no goods are stolen and no attempt is made to enter the premises.
TOAST, the clothing store, has had their windows broken over twenty times, along with other brands such as Zadig & Voltaire, Balibaris, and American Vintage also being affected on numerous occasions. Meanwhile, Scribbler has had at least 15 window smashing incidents, with some locations targeted more than once in a single night. These acts are not only happening to large companies, but to small businesses such as a hair salon in Hackney, which had its windows smashed four times over three months.
Financial impact: Repair costs and insurance withdrawal
The financial burden on affected businesses has been substantial. Scribbler estimated that losses sat at around £180,000. Due to the repeated nature of the incidents and no indication that they would stop, their insurer withdrew coverage for a year. Another affected business is Elliot's wine bar, which was targeted twice in just two weeks. In their case, their insurance did not cover the damage, forcing the business to absorb the full cost of repairs. Along with hiring a nighttime security guard in the restaurant, this loss amounted to several thousands of pounds.
What this means for London retailers and insurers
As repeated vandalism incidents increase, many businesses face growing insurance challenges. Insurers will no doubt be aware of the increase in such attacks and will be reviewing their conditions and underwriting criteria accordingly.
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