A man appeared to suddenly explode in anger in a Port Talbot store lashing out at the shop owner and causing damage. The customer calmly walked into Mobile Buddy in Aberafan Shopping Centre last Tuesday afternoon at 4.45pm.
But he took Arunkumar Maurya, who has run the business since 2013, aback when he erupted hurling items at him and smashing up his plastic screen. Days in a separate incident later the store was raided by thieves who stole a series of mobile phones.
Speaking about the incident on Tuesday, Mr Maurya said: “It’s strange, it’s never happened to me before. I’ve registered a case against him with the police. Just a couple of days after this incident, two people robbed the shop. They broke into the shopping centre through the back door and cut the glass window of the emergency shop and took all the mobiles.”
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He added: “They were very professional as they completed all this within three minutes. By the time security can inform the police, they vanished.”
South Wales Police were alerted on Tuesday at 4.45pm following reports of an altercation in Mobile Buddy, Aberafan Shopping Centre after a man caused damage to the shop counter. Officers returned to the premises on Thursday, April 14, at around 8.05pm following reports of intruders inside the unit.
The suspects smashed the glass front door to access the unit and stole a number of mobile phones. Local Police Inspector Andrew Matthews said: “Investigations are ongoing into both incidents and CCTV enquiries are continuing in order to identify and trace the suspects in connection to the incidents.”
Rates of crime has been recorded on a number of streets in Port Talbot, read more here and read more stories about the town with our newsletters.
There is nothing to suggest the two incidents are connected and both have separate police reference numbers. Anyone with information in relation to either incident should contact South Wales Police by quoting reference 2200120735 for the incident on April 12 and reference 2200123408 for the incident on April 14. Go to: https://bit.ly/SWPProvideInfo or send a private message on Facebook/Twitter or email SWP101@south-wales.police.uk or phone 101.
