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Attack threat to Leeds charities over early sale of Christmas cards
Shops in Leeds have been targeted in a campaign to stop them selling Christmas cards early.
Three charity shops and a newsagents in Headingley have received letters threatening attacks on their premises if they put cards on sale before November 1. One shop had its lock glued up before the letter arrived.
The writer claims to speak for the "Movement for the Containment of Xmas".
Two charity shops had already begun selling Christmas cards – but the third was not planning to until today, and the newsagent does not market his cards until November anyway.
The manageress of Mind in St Michael's Road told how she was unable to unlock the mental health charity's premises at 9.15am on Monday.
A locksmith confirmed that highly adhesive glue had been used, leaving the shop with a 100 repair bill.
That afternoon a mystery man telephoned and claimed responsibility for the glue attack and said it was because the shop was selling Christmas cards "far too early".
He said that if "we pass the shop and we see you are still selling Christmas cards we will glue the lock up until the cards are removed."
When asked why they had a problem with the cards sales, he replied: "There are a team of us that are against charity shops selling Christmas cards so early."
The threatening letter arrived by post on Tuesday morning and said the shop might be attacked again.
The manageress, who asked not to be named, said: "This has made staff – mainly volunteers – feel very uneasy and we have alerted the police.
"We have removed our current Christmas cards sales display for the moment. This is great pity as we have been selling off last year's stock and making 70 a week for the charity," said the manageress.
A few hundred yards away at the Oxfam shop in Otley Road, Headingley,Leeds, the person who posted an identical threatening letter bragging about the glue attack on the Mind shop, was actually filmed by CCTV cameras.
The person, described by manager Clive Barker as having the appearance of the "grim reaper" with a black hooded top, was filmed pushing the envelope through the letterbox at 5.40pm on Monday - after the shop shut at 5pm. It was found Tuesday morning.
He said the shop would continue selling Christmas cards early. The sales were an important fund raiser for the charity which sponsored many projects for deserving groups world wide, said Mr Barker.
"We began selling Christmas cards in early August, it may be a little early, but we have to compete with and mirror what high street traders do," he said."When this happens, you get to wonder what you will find next when you arrive for work."
Nearby at the newsagents where he has traded for 28 years, Gordon Crossley, whose letter was delivered by post on Tuesday,said: "We don't even put our Christmas cards on sale until November, but I don't see why we should be dictated to by these people. This is ridiculous and it is a pity they have nothing better to do."
On the same parade the PDSA charity shop was the fourth recipient of the threatening letter.
Manageress, Miss Gemma Ravenshall said that the envelope had also been put through its letterbox after closing on Monday and was found Tuesday morning.
The PDSA shop had not started selling its Christmas cards, but they were due to be delivered today(Thursday) and would go on sale tomorrow regardless of the threats."We know it may seem early to sell Christmas cards, but so many people do. They are an important income to our charity."
She believed the shop had been open a dozen years without any such threats previously.
Other local shops who sell cards Christmas cards but do not as yet have them on shelves - including charity shops - appeared not to have been targeted..
A Police spokesman confirmed they had received complaints and were investigating.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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