Evidence is starting to emerge suggesting that the destruction by fire and looting of Sony Music’s DADC Distribution Centre in Enfield in North London during the UK’s recent riots was initially the work of professional thieves, rather than just opportunistic looters.
UK newspaper The Telegraph, says that their snouts in the security industry reckon it was the work of a gang of experts, with sources revealing that intruders came armed with specialist cutting equipment and had then spent up to two hours cutting through a high security fence before breaking in.
Claims are being made that they then had a fleet of vans which they drove through the fence and began loading up on expensive electronic gear. Security guards on site were overpowered, while police response was hamstrung by the London police force trying to protect businesses from gangs of looters right across the capital.
The professional thieves are then believed to have alerted gangs of looters in the area to the warehouse, in an attempt to cover their tracks by encouraging them to ransack then burn down the building.
Looters were seen streaming out of the premises carrying stock such as games consoles and stereo equipment. London’s Metropolitan Police and Sony have both declined to comment on the latest revelations, however it is believed that the crisis facing indie labels who had their stock warehoused by their distributor has been averted by Sony setting up a new distribution site in Hertfordshire, reducing the threat of bankruptcy for these labels.
