Bailiffs enforce warrants and swoop to seize stock at Hynes
JEWELLER REMOVED TO HOSPITAL AFTER TAKING ILL DURING VALENTINE’S DAY RAID BY REVENUE
WHILE ordinarily, you would expect a jewellery shop to be filled with lovesick couples on Valentine’s Day, a rather different scene unfolded at Hynes Family Jewellers on North Main Street on Thursday.
Officers from the Revenue Commissioners arrived to the shop in the morning accompanied by bailiffs and executed two warrants seizing all stock. The store closed its doors, but Revenue officials were visible inside, examining all of the stock before its removal and speaking with staff.
Things took a turn for the worse when Frank Hynes took ill and collapsed while opening the safes for officials. An ambu- lance was called and someone was dispatched to find a defibrillator before arriving back with a nurse and Dr Stephen Bowe. By the time they arrived at the scene, paramedics were on hand and administered attention to Mr Hynes.
He was subsequently taken to Wexford General Hospital where he was kept in for tests. Speaking from his hospital bed on Friday, Mr Hynes said he was starting to feel better, but had been kept in as a precaution.
‘I took a turn while all of this was going on,’ he said. ‘I’ve been kept in and they’re running tests on me at the minute. The staff here have been fantastic and I’m being looked after very well.’
In the meantime, bailiffs proceeded to remove stock from the store and it is understood that a vehicle was also seized and that Revenue officials also visited Mr Hynes’ house in Barntown.
A small crowd gathered outside the door while all of this was ongoing, voicing their support for the Hynes family, while one gentleman remarked: ‘My watch is in there for repair and it’s worth a lot of money,’ before knocking on the door.
The gardaí eventually attended the scene to ensure that both the paramedics and the bailiffs could exit the store unimpeded.
All stock was said to have been removed from the shop and the only items remaining were those in for repair and tools.
A sign was posted on the door on Thursday afternoon which stated that the jewellers would re-open on Friday morning at 9.30 a.m. but empty shelves greeted those who entered the premises, the majority of whom were looking to get their items for repair back or to find out what the procedure would be in relation to items that deposits had been paid on.
Frank Hynes says that work is ongoing behind the scenes to have the seized stock returned
and that both war- rants executed by the Revenue are ‘wrong’.
‘ The stock was seized on the foot of two warrants,’ he explained. ‘I disputed the figures as being incorrect, but they wouldn’t listen to me. The accountants and auditors are working on it at the moment behind the scenes. There’s not a lot more that I can say because there are legal issues involved.’
Revenue refused to make any comment on Thursday’s actions, stating: ‘Under the provisions of section 851A of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997, Revenue is legally precluded from commenting on the tax affairs of any individual or entity.’
Mr Hynes stated that he was hopeful that the shop could make a return to business as usual the following week and urged those who have any concerns regarding items on order etc to call into the shop, which remains open.
‘It’s a bit up in the air at the moment,’ he said. ‘ The shop remains open, but obviously there’s no stock. People can call in and collect their repairs and we’re looking to reassure people regarding items on order. Work is ongoing to get our stock back, which should never have been taken in the first place, but we’re hoping that we will be back to normal next week.’
This week’s incident follows on from a similar one back in April of 2016 which saw bailiffs with their faces covered move in on the Hynes Jewellers shop on North Main Street after the county sheriff executed a Circuit Court order which sought the surrender of the premises and the recovery of rent and rates.
I DISPUTED THE FIGURES AS BEING INCORRECT, BUT THEY WOULDN’T LISTEN TO ME. THE ACCOUNTANTS AND AUDITORS ARE WORKING ON IT AT THE MOMENT BEHIND THE SCENES
– FRANK HYNES