Doctor Who: Who’s Toys Burglarized
By Leah Tedesco
Who’s Toys sells various science fiction and fantasy memorabilia, including that of Doctor Who. When they were recently burglarized, fans pitched in to help.
A few days ago, we posted an article about the high value, in both the monetary and sentimental senses, of Doctor Who memorabilia. This is, of course, true of various other franchises, as well. This fact has apparently come to the attention of the criminal element, as evidenced by Who’s Toys in Ratcliffe Gate, Mansfield getting burglarized recently. The small shop has been operated for the past ten years by owner John Hadlow. Scaramanga, the resident life-sized Dalek, was no help as the business was broken into on Friday, August 5th. Most of the inventory was stolen, forcing him “to start all over again from scratch.” Items taken include TARDISes and Daleks from Doctor Who, ships from Star Trek, and figures from Star Wars, Batman, and Game of Thrones.
Hadlow was “devastated” upon seeing the damage when he arrived at the shop. He says that it felt “as though [his] whole world had been destroyed.” Thankfully, fans have been pitching in to assist him. A JustGiving crowdfunding page was started by his friend, Ashley Devine. As of the writing of this article, fifty two supporters have raised £800, which is 160% of the original goal.
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Having been bullied in his youth for his geekiness, the negative experience of the burglary has emotionally taken Hadlow back to a younger age. He says that it is as if “these kinds of no-brain malicious bullies are still picking on [him].” But while he refers to the burglars as “low-life scum,” it is unclear what motivated them to steal the science fiction and fantasy merchandise. One can only hope for a silver lining, such as the stock being sold and the profits being used to feed a hungry family down on their luck. It is the sort of scenario befitting the spirit of the Doctor.
Going forward, Hadlow plans to “bounce back from this,” with plans to order more stock and install “extra security.” If anyone is able to return his stock, he is offering a reward. You can contact him at the shop at 07794 761 682.
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"Nottinghamshire Police confirmed the incident and said anyone with information can call 101 quoting incident 145-5/8 or call crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."