A RUNCORN firm has seen business boom after footage of looters failing to steal a television they installed was broadcast around the world.
On Monday night, Sky News showed images of looters trying to rip a flatscreen television from a Ladbrokes store in Clapham, south London, during the riots.
Seconds after the scenes went public, the phone of Dermot Butler, whose firm, Key Total Vision, installed the flatscreen, would not stop ringing.
Mr Butler, 41, said: “I got about 50 texts and emails. The footage shocked everyone – but we are Ladbrokes’ partners and when I watched it my first thought was the screen they were trying to wrench off was one of ours.
“Despite repeated, violent efforts they couldn’t manage it. We never install TVs with riots in mind, but we have been inundated with calls.
“Lots of people have had their stuff stolen and it maybe struck a chord with a few people. It has been a bizarre few days.”
A Youtube video with over 6,000 hits show the brackets, designed in Runcorn and made in Oldham and Hull, withstanding the onslaught.
A gang of hooded youths stand near the shop before three of them storm inside. One jumps up on to a ledge below the television and tries to wrench it free by hanging off it.
When he struggles, two more looters come to his aid before they retreat to find easier prey.
Now the television has its own Facebook group with nearly 50,000 members. Mr Butler, a father-of-two who set up the firm in 2004, added the footage proved, when his business installed something, it was there to stay.
And Richard Royal, public affairs manager at Ladbrokes, said the firm would now look to auction the television for charity.
He said: “While the incident itself was clearly very serious and disturbing, it is an indication of the London spirit to be able to put a silver lining on what otherwise is a very black cloud. The suggestion is we should consider auctioning it, with proceeds going to the clean-up operation.
“I have asked for the condition of the TV to be assessed, after which I see no reason why this can’t happen.”
