Stratford sex shop heist nets $8,000 in toys, leather
'We can tell these products will end up being in some kind of a black market trade situation or on (a) marketplace'
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Owners of a Stratford sex shop are feeling more than a little jerked around.
Thieves broke into the Sinvention Boutique on Douro St. and made off with thousands of dollars in sex toys, leather wear and numerous accessories.
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CTV News reports that two masked culprits entered the business early on May 23.
“We certainly weren’t expecting to have to restock half our store in a day,” co-owner Julie Bell told the network. “I mean, it’s a big hit for a small business.”
The pair were captured on CCTV inside and outside the store. They pried the front door open using a crowbar and then entered. The haul was around $8,000 in product and some cash.
“It was buy-and-sell items only, they are all of an adult nature,” Bell added. “It was lingerie, vibrators, men’s masturbators, pleasure products, just to name a few.”
It isn’t the first time the store has been burglarized, but Bell told CTV it was the costliest.
“Since COVID, that’s really when we first noticed that type of sticky finger situation. People are just being a bit more brazen,” Bell said.
Unfortunately, some of the leather gear is made on-site and not easily replaceable.
“After a quick initial consultation with our broker confirming that, yes, we should have coverage, we’re just right now waiting to hear from our adjuster, and hopefully things will be satisfied,” she said.
“We can tell these products will end up being in some kind of a black market trade situation or on (a) marketplace, Kijiji.”
She added: “This definitely gives us pause and concern moving forward. We are definitely reevaluating our exposure via the retail model. Luckily, we did have additional stock in our storeroom that they hadn’t found. We are adaptable. We pivot when needed, and as far as anyone is concerned, we’re open for business.”
Cops say that officers were called to the store and discovered a broken window on a large garage door. The building owner told officers that one of their tenants, Sinvention Boutique, had been broken into.
So far, Stratford Police said they did not have a complete inventory of what items were stolen or their precise value. Police did obtain images of the two hoods believed to be responsible and are working to identify them.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Stratford Police Service.
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