Shop owner 'heartbroken' over Jellycat thefts
A small business owner said she is "heartbroken" after several Jellycat toys were stolen from her shop.
Kirsty Morrison, owner of Westgate Gallery Toys & Gifts in Grantham, said about eight of the popular collectables, costing £200, were stolen on Monday whilst she was helping a partially-sighted customer.
Jellycat toys have become a viral sensation with some selling out on release and being resold at higher prices on sites like Vinted.
Lincolnshire Police confirmed the toys were reported stolen from the shop between 10:00 and 13:00 on Monday.
Ms Morrison, who has been in charge of the shop for four years, said thefts were "very rare" but she had moved the Jellycats behind the till in any case.
"It's heartbreaking. It's just me, I'm a sole trader and I don't have a big business. It's literally money straight out of my pocket," she said.
"It makes me more suspicious every time someone comes in and I don't want to feel that way towards my customers."
Ms Morrison said the viral nature of the toys was driving people to steal and resell them.
"Enjoy the cuddly toys you've bought but don't make them this huge project to collect and get obsessive about it," she added.
Lincolnshire Police said thefts should be reported as soon as possible.
"We know even when values are small they can affect owners and businesses greatly and we will work with our communities to do all we can to identify offenders."
Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
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