Thieves steal Hartlebury festive shop's Christmas decorations

Owner Matt Palmer said he still wanted to open his shop on 18 November

Thieves have stolen about £40,000 worth of Christmas decorations from a shop in Worcestershire.

Matt Palmer, owner of Pinewood Christmas Tree Plantation, Hartlebury, said he lost about two-thirds of his stock.

His shop and Christmas tree site is due to open on 18 November and he said he hopes he can restock as quickly as possible.

Thieves broke into a shed to take the goods last week, he said.

"The lock on the door had been tampered with - the lock worked well and stopped them," he added.

"However round the back, they managed to peel back the tin on the shed, cut all the CCTV camera cables and helped themselves to all the boxes."

The thieves struck last week by breaking into a locked shed

The culprits left huge tyre marks in the field and baubles and tinsel on the grass.

"The Mrs is certainly not happy - it's more her domain, the Christmas side," he added.

"Yes, she's pretty devastated because she's got a full-time job anyway so she now has to source the decorations.."

They left tinsel and baubles on the grass after they fled

He said he hoped his insurers would approve and pay his claim quickly, so the missing decorations can be replaced before his store opens.

"I'm still optimistic we can get enough stock in," he said.

"I certainly don't want to not have the Christmas shop this year because it will change the whole dynamic of the place as it'd just be a Christmas tree field [otherwise].

"Whereas when we've got the shop up and going, it's full of colour and a lot different atmosphere. It's a very different place."

Security will now be improved at Pinewood.

Mr Palmer said he wanted anyone who saw anything suspicious in the Hartlebury area on Tuesday night to get in touch.

CCTV cables were cut in the break-in