At 5am last Friday, Sexc Chic owner and Parmelia woman Cheryl Wilson woke up to the phone call every businessperson dreads ” her shop had been broken into.
‘It was total devastation, clothing everywhere, glass everywhere,’ she said.
‘They’d smashed one window with a sledgehammer and tried to angle-grind the other.
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About $10,000 worth of stock, much of it brand new women’s clothing that had been unpacked only the previous day, was stolen, along with handbags, jewellery, scarves, the till drawer and store CD player.
Even mannequins were destroyed.
While they are insured, Ms Wilson and her partners and daughters Elle Lindsay of Rockingham and Tanya Kirk of Orelia, will still need to pay rent on the store and cannot afford to buy new stock until the settlement comes through.
The business had already been struggling since the Kwinana Marketplace opened in December, according to Ms Wilson, who said business had dropped by 15 per cent.
She urged residents of Kwi- nana and surrounds to look out for people selling distinctive clothing and accessories from Australian labels including Cab 55, Fiorelli, Emily Adams, and Spicy Sugar.
‘It had to have been someone who has been in our shop,’ she said.
Security footage indicated a white dual-cab ute, one woman and two to three men were responsible for the burglary, at 4.22am.
‘We’re shattered, absolutely gutted,’ she said.
‘A lot of community support has already come in, I’ve had a bit of a cry already and we’d like to thank our customers for their support.’
Ms Wilson said despite the break-in, the store would not be closing and she was hoping to hold a fashion show on May 9.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/SexcChic