Thugs raid Memory Plus

A gang of Balaclava-clad thugs were foiled by an heroic employee of Memory Plus when they tried to raid the Wiltshire-based distributor's warehouse last week.

A gang of Balaclava-clad thugs were foiled by an heroic employee of Memory Plus when they tried to raid the Wiltshire-based distributor's warehouse last week.

Driving a silver Subaru bearing false number plates, the raiders attempted to break into the Wootton Bassett storage facility using lump hammers and crow bars.

The employee, aged 28, was sitting in the car park having his lunch when he spotted the gang and drove his car across the entrance, blocking their way out.

When they saw their escape route had been blocked, the men attacked the worker, who cannot be named for fear of reprisals. The men beat his head and arms and smashed his car windows before making their getaway.

The employee was taken to hospital suffering from minor wounds and shock.

David Flack, group marketing manager at Memory Plus, praised the employee's actions, but said the incident was not worth "risking his safety" over.

"It was a very brave thing to do, but we do not recommend that our staff should try to apprehend these people. It was a very amateurish break-in attempt," he said.

"The employee has been given time off to recover from the ordeal, but he was lucky to get away with superficial injuries. It really could have been a lot worse."

The incident should act as a warning to other IT companies to tighten security in their warehouses, he said. "Others should be extra vigilant, and if any strange vehicles are seen in the area, they should keep an eye on them. Anyone who notices anything unusual should notify someone immediately," he said.

In June, thieves made off with £60,000 worth of memory after hijacking a Memory Plus delivery truck. Closed-circuit television captured the attempted break-in, and the footage is now being examined by Wiltshire Police.

A Wiltshire Police representative said last week's incident is under investigation and asked for help from the public. "We would urge anyone with information to get in touch before this gang tries again," he said.

First published in Computer Reseller News