Police probe ‘explosion’ at city shops
POLICE are investigating after a burglary caused a loud explosion and significant damage at a shop in Cardiff.
The burglary occurred at the Co-op store in Countisbury Avenue, Llanrumney, at around 4am yesterday.
It is believed that suspects used acetylene cylinders to gain access to the shop and cash machine, resulting in a loud explosion and causing significant damage.
Witnesses reported hearing a “big explosion” in the area in the early hours of yesterday morning and debris was pictured strewn across the scene.
Forty people in flats above the shops were evacuated as a precaution while the cylinders were made safe by the fire service.
A police spokeswoman said: “A nearby bakers provided displaced residents with shelter and warm drinks while they waited to return to their homes. There are no reported injuries, the road remains closed and inquiries are on-going.”
New state-of-the-art CCTV cameras had recently been installed after previous attacks on the shops.
Councillors Keith Jones, Lee Bridgeman and Heather Joyce said they will be asking police to review any CCTV footage from the scene.
Cllr Jones said: “This is the third attempt to ram-raid the Co-op in three years. We will not tolerate such lawlessness at the heart of our community, at a much-loved parade of shops.”
He also thanked residents were evacuated in the middle of the night.
“They calmly responded to a dangerous situation and we are grateful that they are all safe,” he said.
“If you know of any details regarding this incident or the identifies of those who sought to bring harm to our community then please get in contact with ourselves or South Wales Police.”
Nadeem Muhammad has lived above the Co-op for the past five months. His flat was damaged and his car was also damaged.
Nadeem said: “We heard a loud noise early this morning. I looked out of the window and saw something had happened downstairs and everything was all over the road and there was something underneath my car.
“I know now that is what they used to try and do the explosion. We are all ok.
“We rang the fire brigade and he said that it had already been reported and somebody was on the way. We are ok, but now need to know the damage to the flat.”
Debris was strewn across the road following the “huge explosion”, which could be heard from miles around.
One resident, four miles away in Pontprennau, said: “I heard the car explosion this morning! My house actually shook from the severe force of it. I thought a bomb had detonated nearby!”
A Cardiff council spokesman said: “Following a failed attempt to remove an ATM machine from the Co-op store on Countisbury Avenue, a fire was started at the building, which caused an immediate danger to those living in flats above the shops.
“The council was responsible for the evacuation and shelter of 40 people during this incident, who were firstly moved to a safe distance, and then moved onto a bus until more suitable accommodation could be found.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact South Wales Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting occurrence number 067488.
CARDIFF and Vale pension fund still has £57m invested in fossil fuels – more than 18 months after Cardiff council voted for divestment.
The local government pension fund, as of March last year, had millions of pounds invested in companies such as Royal Dutch Shell, BP, Anglo American and ExxonMobil.
The data was recently revealed from research by environmental campaigners Friends of the Earth and Platform, who analysed local government pension funds across the UK. Across Wales, local government pension funds have £550m invested in fossil fuels.
Despite Cardiff council committing in 2019 to divest the pension fund from fossil fuels – due to concerns over climate change – the fund still has a long way to go.
However, Cardiff and Vale is ahead of some Welsh pension funds, with Dyfed having twice as much in fossil fuels.
Bleddyn Lake, spokesman for Friends of the Earth Cymru, said: “While some councils and pension funds have been more proactive than others, the fact that the eight local authority pension funds in Wales still invest a staggering £550m in fossil fuels is outrageous.”
Robert Noyes, campaigner and researcher at Platform, said: “After a decade of austerity and the devastating economic impact of Covid across the UK, local councils can and should be using their pension funds to support local investment priorities.
“Instead of making risky bets on fossil fuels, let’s channel the wealth in our pensions to local communities and build a better world beyond the pandemic.
“Whatever your stake in your pension – imagine what world you want to retire in – and push your pension to invest in it.”
Cardiff and Vale pension fund is making progress in divesting from fossil fuels. The fund has about £2bn assets in total, so the £57m is just 2.9% of its total assets.
Most of its investments in fossil fuels are indirect: £24.6m are in the
Blackrock UK equity index fund, which invests in several companies, including some fossil fuel producers like Shell and BP. However, £16m is directly invested in fossil fuel producers.
The fund is planning to switch a lot of its money into low-carbon tracker funds, which exclude any companies who produce fossil fuels. But investment decisions like these take up a lot of time; while scientists and campaigners warn time is running out to limit climate change.
According to the campaigners’ research, the top 10 fossil fuel companies invested in by Cardiff and Vale are: £10.4m in Royal Dutch Shell; £6.8m in BHP; £6m in Mitsubishi; £5.6m in Mitsui; £5.2m in BP; £3.2m in Anglo American; £2.8m in Glencore; £2.5m in Sumitomo; £1.7m in LG; and £1.3m in ExxonMobil.
Mr Lake said: “These pension funds, the Wales Pension Partnership and the Welsh Government should be sitting down to work out a plan to ditch fossil fuels and invest the money instead into projects in Wales to create jobs and give a good return on investment.
“The time for action is now.” A Cardiff council spokesman said: “We are happy to see that Friends of the Earth has recognised the strides Cardiff and Vale pension fund has already taken to divest funds from fossil fuel investments.
“We are committed to the decarbonisation agenda and, while Cardiff council only administers the pension fund, we have made clear to our fund managers that divestment of fossil fuel funds is carried out as quickly as possible while protecting the interests of pension fund members.
“While our commitment is clear, divestment is not a simple matter of flicking a switch.
“As stated earlier, Cardiff council doesn’t control the pension fund, we purely administer the scheme, but the cabinet has made representations to the fund with the intention to bring about this change and the fund’s committee has set out its ‘in principle support’ for divestment and this work is ongoing.”