I just want to go on record as saying how wonderful and magnificent the Kings Lynn HMV staff were towards me back in 2015 when an awful incident happened one night, regarding a nasty theft that took place right beside my car as it was parked well inside my girlfriend's house driveway, right next to the front door around 10pm.
Some chancing thieving scumbag (who lived in a neighbouring road to her) was walking past and saw the few items I'd left on my car's roof AND beside the back wheel (on the floor by her front doorstep) as I was staying there for the weekend and had too much stuff to carry indoors in one hit, so...
I'm like, "Kerry, what HAVE you done with my black canvas bag with ALL those CDs I bought earlier today from the Norwich City Centre Store?" - once the horror set in that I'd had about £120 of brand-new CDs stolen in an innocuous black bag (almost touching her front doorstep), I rang the Police in a state of shock and disbelief, it all happened SO fast.
The following day, purely by chance, I rang my local HMV Kings Lynn store, to report the theft AND by chance, to see "if" anyone had tried or been dumb enough to go into their store and claim a "refund" on the 12-15 CDs - To my amazement the gal behind the till rang me back 15mins later to say... "They've ALL been bought back in for a FULL refund; All except one, as the one they didn't, wasn't sealed".
Most were of the Canadian band Rush and I read off the titles, as they obviously matched the till receipt.
Laughable thing is, the dodo plankton brain thief had been incredulously stupid enough to have put his own name and address down when claiming the refund (Duh) - so I got straight back onto Kings Lynn police station and the desk sergeant answered.
When I read out the name on the returns slip, he shrieked with joy and sheer delight as it appeared that guy WAS a well-known petty thief BUT until now they'd not been able to nail him down with any solid evidence - "You've made my day" he told me and we finished the phone call, laughing uproariously.
It was a Sunday morning and I re-phoned the HMV store to give them an update & asked, "Can I come into your store and buy back 11 of those 12 CDs he stole from her doorstep, please?" - She went to ask her manager and I was stunned as she said... "No, my manager wants you to come and collect those CDs that you legitimately bought from our Norwich branch, as he feels sorry for you for all that's happened."
I was stunned & pole-axed, and again said "Nah, it's alright, my mistake for leaving them by Kerry's doorstep" to which she replied, "No, my manager INSISTS that you come and pick up what's rightfully yours, as he does NOT want to see you pay for them TWICE" - Was there within the hour, however, not before I'd visited Thornton's Chocolate store (a few doors away) to buy the staff a HUGE box of chocolates as a "Thank You" gift for being SO Gracious!
Best laugh though was the desk sergeant who also asked... "Would you be willing to testify in court, so we can nail the scumbag?" to which I roared with laughter & said "Yes, most definitely, as he WON'T get the better of a large, powerful guy like me" - I got an update 10 months later to say he'd been charged, along with other offences and got sent to prison for a few months - the desk sergeant referred to him as "a toe-rag".
I got my CDs back (all sealed up from factory) and a serious good laugh over it, plus HUGE respect for HMV & their wonderful staff that weekend over 10 years ago, now.
Dave Harwood
23 Jan 2026 at 09:32
I found this in the 'Lynn Advertiser' dated 14th November 1997: “NEW MUSIC STORE OPENING IN KING'S LYNN. MUSIC TO YOUR EARS – New HMV Store comes to King's Lynn. Imagine a store where your every entertainment need is fulfilled. For the first time in King's Lynn this dream will become a reality. HMV are moving into 87/88 High Street to provide the very best in music, videos and games for King's Lynn. The new store will be trading from one floor and will be opening on Thursday 20th November.” ...and this in the same full-page advert: “NEW KING'S LYNN HMV STORE OPENS * 10.15 a.m. Steve Bradley, KLFM will be MC throughout the morning. * 10.30 am Ribbon Cutting Ceremony with Store Manager Julian Yates, Steve Bradley, Universal and Nipper the HMV Dog.”
Some chancing thieving scumbag (who lived in a neighbouring road to her) was walking past and saw the few items I'd left on my car's roof AND beside the back wheel (on the floor by her front doorstep) as I was staying there for the weekend and had too much stuff to carry indoors in one hit, so...
I'm like, "Kerry, what HAVE you done with my black canvas bag with ALL those CDs I bought earlier today from the Norwich City Centre Store?" - once the horror set in that I'd had about £120 of brand-new CDs stolen in an innocuous black bag (almost touching her front doorstep), I rang the Police in a state of shock and disbelief, it all happened SO fast.
The following day, purely by chance, I rang my local HMV Kings Lynn store, to report the theft AND by chance, to see "if" anyone had tried or been dumb enough to go into their store and claim a "refund" on the 12-15 CDs - To my amazement the gal behind the till rang me back 15mins later to say... "They've ALL been bought back in for a FULL refund; All except one, as the one they didn't, wasn't sealed".
Most were of the Canadian band Rush and I read off the titles, as they obviously matched the till receipt.
Laughable thing is, the dodo plankton brain thief had been incredulously stupid enough to have put his own name and address down when claiming the refund (Duh) - so I got straight back onto Kings Lynn police station and the desk sergeant answered.
When I read out the name on the returns slip, he shrieked with joy and sheer delight as it appeared that guy WAS a well-known petty thief BUT until now they'd not been able to nail him down with any solid evidence - "You've made my day" he told me and we finished the phone call, laughing uproariously.
It was a Sunday morning and I re-phoned the HMV store to give them an update & asked, "Can I come into your store and buy back 11 of those 12 CDs he stole from her doorstep, please?" - She went to ask her manager and I was stunned as she said... "No, my manager wants you to come and collect those CDs that you legitimately bought from our Norwich branch, as he feels sorry for you for all that's happened."
I was stunned & pole-axed, and again said "Nah, it's alright, my mistake for leaving them by Kerry's doorstep" to which she replied, "No, my manager INSISTS that you come and pick up what's rightfully yours, as he does NOT want to see you pay for them TWICE" - Was there within the hour, however, not before I'd visited Thornton's Chocolate store (a few doors away) to buy the staff a HUGE box of chocolates as a "Thank You" gift for being SO Gracious!
Best laugh though was the desk sergeant who also asked... "Would you be willing to testify in court, so we can nail the scumbag?" to which I roared with laughter & said "Yes, most definitely, as he WON'T get the better of a large, powerful guy like me" - I got an update 10 months later to say he'd been charged, along with other offences and got sent to prison for a few months - the desk sergeant referred to him as "a toe-rag".
I got my CDs back (all sealed up from factory) and a serious good laugh over it, plus HUGE respect for HMV & their wonderful staff that weekend over 10 years ago, now.
...and this in the same full-page advert:
“NEW KING'S LYNN HMV STORE OPENS * 10.15 a.m. Steve Bradley, KLFM will be MC throughout the morning. * 10.30 am Ribbon Cutting Ceremony with Store Manager Julian Yates, Steve Bradley, Universal and Nipper the HMV Dog.”