Sailor's Creek Shellfish in Cornwall equipment 'sabotaged'

Martin Laity, owner of Sailor's Creek Shellfish who sell sustainably caught shellfish, has said he and his business partner have lost everything temporarily after arriving at work this morning (Oct 13) and discovering that their premises appeared to have been broken into and their purification tanks vandalised, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

The premises was allegedly broken in to last night.

The damage caused to the purification tanks is estimated to be in the tens of thousands of pounds.

Speaking to The Packet, Martin said: "My business partner and one of our employees turned up and found it at seven o'clock this morning.

"They're pretty shaken up by it.

"It's a lot of damage, probably around £15,000 to £20,000 worth of damage in total."

Unfortunately, the Queen scallops that were in one of the tanks died with the losses to crabs and lobster stock still being counted.

However, other items of value were all left untouched in the incident.

Martin continued: "The only thing that was targeted during the break in was our purification tanks, they were completely and utterly sabotaged.

No other items of value disappeared in the incident.

All of the Queen scallops that were in one of the tanks died

"There was a cash tin, laptops, desktop computers, generators, scales, all stuff of significant value, all left.

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"They came in, destroyed the tanks, and left."

"I've always got an onward and upward philosophy, so we'll press on, but I think it's something the public should know about.

"There's no crime in Flushing."

The incident has left owners and staff shaken up.

Losses of crabs and lobsters are currently being counted up.

"We're quite a tight unit here and any damage to the business is a threat to all of our livelihoods.

"It was seriously shocking, and my business partner is a tough guy, y'know, this is a tough business to be in.

"But this is gangsterish."

The owners suggest must have taken place between 7pm last night and 7am this morning, with Martin adding: "We expect it would have taken place in the wee hours.

Anyone with any info is urged to contact D&C Police.

"It must have been between the hours of 7pm and 7am."

Martin says the police have been contacted and anyone with any information is urged to contact Devon and Cornwall Police quoting crime reference: CR/089083/21.