Burglary at Portsmouth community centre leaves staff 'heartbroken'

Milton Village Community Association staff were notified by a local resident that a suspected break-in had occurred last Thursday morning.

Staff arrived to discover a damaged door and kitchen cupboard doors ripped off their hinges.

A laptop and empty till were taken from The Pure Ground Coffee Shop, at the association’s premises. Two doors were damaged beyond repair.

A few items of food were taken from two floor-to-ceiling freezers, which had been left open – meaning more than a £100 worth of food has been spoiled.

It comes after the Copnor Mens Shed, in Walsall Road, Copnor, was burgled on Tuesday evening, with the police charging a 30-year-old man for the crime.

The director of the Pure Ground Coffee Shop, Steve Macfarlane, said he was willing to ‘forgive’ whoever was behind the crime.

The pastor of Langstone Church said: ‘We are a Christian-run coffee shop, so we are willing to forgive – but it’s such a shame.

‘We’re at a point where the reason we have not shut down is because of government support during this coronavirus situation.

‘An extra cost at this time is really not needed.’

But the community response at this time of crisis has been ‘brilliant’, the director added.

He said: ‘Someone has already come in and boarded up one of the doors, free of charge.’

The vandalism was ‘heartbreaking,’ according to the association’s admin assistant, Kimberly Barrett, but she agreed the community had shown a wealth of support.

She said: ‘We have been overwhelmed by the kindness of residents, not just in Milton, but across the city.

‘We have had lots of businesses offer to help.

‘We’re really thankful we have this community around us.’

Staff remain hopeful that the culprit will be caught, with the police attending to take forensic samples. A crowbar had been left at the scene.

Steve said: ‘The amazing thing is that they used a crowbar to get in, and they left that on the floor.

‘They also pulled the CCTV camera out of the wall, and they had a go at the box that does the recording.

‘We’re hoping to get some images off the hardware.’

Hampshire Constabulary have asked for anyone with information about the incident to call 101, quoting 44200118149.

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