Burglars condemned after stealing safe from the Melton Samworth Centre charity

Burglars who stole a safe containing £1,300 from a Melton community centre and cafe have been condemned for stealing from a charity.
The Samworth Centre, in Burton Street, Melton EMN-170506-134133001The Samworth Centre, in Burton Street, Melton EMN-170506-134133001
The Samworth Centre, in Burton Street, Melton EMN-170506-134133001

The intruders wrenched the metal cash box from its moorings at the Samworth Centre, in Burton Street, after smashing an office window to break in.

The safe contained money from cafe takings, events which had been booked there and tips for staff.

Keith Wilson, who helps co-ordinate activities at the centre for St Mary’s Church, said: “I think people will be disgusted really because it’s a community cafe and they have an affinity with it.

“They will be horrified that a charity has had money stolen which is very precious in keeping it going.”

He added: “It’s money we can’t afford to lose because there is a fine line between profit and loss and all of our profits go back into the building.

“The staff were upset to discover the break-in because it’s somewhere they enjoy working and they know how important the money is to the centre.”

Police are investigating the burglary, which took place shortly after 2am on the morning of Friday June 2.

The intruders got in by breaking a new double-glazed window before ripping out the safe.

Mr Wilson said: “They couldn’t get out at the front because the doors lock from the outside.

“So one of them went upstairs and opened a landing window before, we believe, passing the safe through the window to someone else.”

This was the second time the Samworth Centre has been broken into this year. Burglars stole petty cash in February.

Mr Wilson added: “We thought we had quite good security measures anyway but we will be looking into what else we can do.”

A spokesperson for Leicestershire Police said: “We got a call to report a burglary at the premises at 2.19am on Friday June 2.

“A safe was stolen and enquiries are continuing.”

Anyone who saw anything suspicious around the time of the incident is asked to call police on 101 quoting the reference 17000230504 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.