Ipswich: MP slams spate of thefts at Essential Vintage

Essential Vintage in Eagle Street has temporarily closed after it saw £600-worth of stock stolen over a series of thefts since January.

Josh Byworth opened the shop around a year ago. Credit: Sarah Lucy Brown (Image: Sarah Lucy Brown)

Josh Byworth, who opened the shop around a year ago, told this newspaper that he "no longer feels safe", adding: "I really don't want to shut but I don't see another option."

Ipswich's MP Tom Hunt visited Mr Byworth prior to the shop's opening in 2022 and said he was "delighted" to see the businessman open his own premises after starting out in the town's Microshops.

Speaking on the series of thefts at Essential Vintage, Mr Hunt said: "I remember meeting Josh when Essential Vintage was in Ipswich Microshops and how excited he was to secure a new permanent residence on Eagle Street.

Mr Byworth is now exploring his options after temporarily closing the shop. Credit: Sarah Lucy Brown (Image: Sarah Lucy Brown)

"Essential Vintage is much valued by customers and I’m so sorry to hear he’s been the victim of frequent thieving.

"Sadly there are other examples across the Town Centre of other small businesses being impacted in the same way. Repeated shop lifting is debilitating for these businesses and the town centre more generally.

"In the case of Essential Vintage there is plentiful video footage of the crimes taking place and I would expect this to be thoroughly investigated by the Police and those responsible to be held to account."

Mr Hunt's letter to chief superintendent Andy Martin. Credit: Office of Tom Hunt (Image: Office of Tom Hunt)

In a letter to Andy Martin, chief superintendent of Suffolk Constabulary, Mr Hunt called for "further measures" to protect independent businesses in Ipswich and for "these long-term issues" to be "countered strongly".

The MP also raised the matter in the House of Commons and said he was "pleased the Policing Minister [Chris Philp] agrees with my view".