Four Hayling Island businesses broken into as yobs make off with charity boxes and electrical equipment

‘DESPERATE’ thugs left at least four businesses with a clean-up bill after a spate of weekend raids saw windows broken and charity boxes and retail equipment stolen.
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The break-ins rocked firms on Hayling Island while Storm Dennis' conditions forced many residents inside.

The Hayling Island Bookshop in Mengham Road was left exposed after thieves hurled a sign through its front door at about 10pm on Friday.

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They took a barcode scanner and a charity box containing donations for the Hayling Island Community First Responders.

Vets4Pets in Elm Grove, Hayling Island, is left with a shattered front door after a weekend break-in. At least three other businesses were broken into. Picture: Sophie WillmottVets4Pets in Elm Grove, Hayling Island, is left with a shattered front door after a weekend break-in. At least three other businesses were broken into. Picture: Sophie Willmott
Vets4Pets in Elm Grove, Hayling Island, is left with a shattered front door after a weekend break-in. At least three other businesses were broken into. Picture: Sophie Willmott

Colin Telford, the shop's events manager, said: ‘Whoever broke in must have crawled through the broken glass – had it fallen on them they could have bled to death for the sake of a few pounds.

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‘We are saddened their life is so desperate that they are in a situation where that seems like an option.

‘There can’t have been much in the tin because we had only just started collecting for the responders.’

The door to the Hayling Island Bookshop in Mengham Road, Hayling Island, is boarded up after a raid which saw a Hayling Island Community First Responders charity box stolen on Friday night. The sign on the door reads 'open for business as usual'. Picture: Colin TelfordThe door to the Hayling Island Bookshop in Mengham Road, Hayling Island, is boarded up after a raid which saw a Hayling Island Community First Responders charity box stolen on Friday night. The sign on the door reads 'open for business as usual'. Picture: Colin Telford
The door to the Hayling Island Bookshop in Mengham Road, Hayling Island, is boarded up after a raid which saw a Hayling Island Community First Responders charity box stolen on Friday night. The sign on the door reads 'open for business as usual'. Picture: Colin Telford
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Kindhearted helpers from NK Growns Electrical and The New Clothing Company boarded up the door an hour after the break-in.

Money stolen, one first responder said, would likely have gone on the charity’s fuel, equipment and uniform expenses.

Co-ordinator Phil Pritchard, said: ‘We’re a charity which relies heavily on the island and we run mainly on donations of the islanders.

‘This will undoubtedly have an impact on our fundraising but it will not affect us operationally.

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‘For someone to go to that length, I hope their need was greater than ours.’

Shards of glass were strewn around Vets4Pets in Elm Grove when its front door was smashed by a yob with a rock on Sunday.

Three charity boxes were stolen and neighbours united to repair the damage.

Taking to Facebook, student veterinary nurse Sophie Willmott said staff at the site were ‘eternally grateful’ for the support.

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She added: ‘To the little scumbags who thought it would be amusing to steal our charity boxes, I bet your parents are so proud of you.’

Three charity boxes were stolen after Wilson Wakefield Solicitors in Station Road was broken into at about 11pm on Sunday.

West Town Service Wash was also targeted.