Break in at Diamond UK delays comic distribution to shops until Thursday

A break in at Diamond Comic Distributors UK’s warehouse in Runcorn, Cheshire, means this week’s releases will be late getting to some comic shop retailers. All retailers, some whose orders were unaffected and whose deliveries have been made, are being asked to hold back the sale of new comics until Thursday 8th October.

Quite aside from the usual mess victims of crime have to deal with, any clear up after the burglary, following police forensics, will in all likelihood be slowed by the additional health and safety restrictions of workplace practice during the current pandemic.

Diamond Distributors have released the following statement to retailers about the break in, circulated on numerous comics site, including Bleeding Cool.

Diamond Comic Distributors UK - Special Announcement

Firstly thank you all for your patience and understanding today. I’m afraid that I have to report that the Diamond UK warehouse facility has been broken into over the weekend. We’ve been working with the police and their forensics teams throughout the day but have been unable to access the building for most of the day.

We are now in a position to start cleaning up the mess and devastation that the thieves left behind and are aiming to re-open the UK warehouse tomorrow morning. During the break in and through the clean-up, pallets and boxes have been moved from their expected locations and as a result I’m afraid that we cannot guarantee everything on your invoices arriving this week. However, I think that the most sensible option is for us to continue to ship this week’s product to you. We will concentrate on getting this product out to you tomorrow for a Wednesday arrival.

Due to the fact that at present we are not aware how this may impact any of you in particular for this week’s product I’d like to ask that you all hold onto your deliveries until Thursday 8th October.

This way we can try to ensure that as few accounts as possible are affected by this incident. We also aim to accept all shipments this week for next week’s stock and are looking to continue to work on this product for delivery to you next week as normal. However, please note that prompt picks may not be possible this week, so please check with your CS rep before requesting a prompt pick.

We will continue to update you with as much information as possible over the coming days but again would like to thank you all for your patience and understanding throughout all of these recent troubled times

Diamond UK staff will be working hard to get the warehouse sorted, and we’d urge you to be patient with your Local Comic Shop at this time, who have faced problems enough this year already thanks to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Diamond launched its own service in the United Kingdom, Diamond UK Ltd., in 1991; later that year, it purchased another UK distributor, Pacific Distribution. In 1992, near the height of the comics boom and Diamond’s rivalry with Capital City, the company bought out Titan Distributors. The consolidated firms operate now as Diamond Comic Distributors UK. Headquartered in Cheshire, it serves both the United Kingdom and Europe.

The team at Diamond UK have always been terrific with me in all my dealings with them, and I’m sure they’re working hard to sort things out for their many customers.

Still on sale today in newsagents: 2000AD Prog 2203, BEANO 4056 and BEANO Christmas Special (BEANO cover with thanks to Lew Stringer)
Still on sale today in newsagents: 2000AD Prog 2203, BEANO 4056 and BEANO Christmas Special (BEANO cover with thanks to Lew Stringer)

Newsagents receive British titles such as 2000AD and BEANO and the new BEANO Christmas Special through entirely separate distribution routes, so expect to see those titles in your local newsagents.

• Anyone with any information about the burglary is urged to call Cheshire Police on 101 or report it via https://www.cheshire.police.uk/ro/report | Information can also be passed on to Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111 or report it via https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously



Categories: British Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, US Comics

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