Teens arrested as charity tins stolen in Portsmouth vandalism spree

A newsagent, community hall, antiques shop and a cafe were all damaged in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Three boys aged 15, 16 and 18 were arrested on suspicion of burglary following a break-in at Moorhouse News, Meon Road, Milton.

The front window had been smashed, with charity tins and scratch cards taken at around 4am.

Members of the public raised the alarm in the early-hours raid.

Police confirmed the boys were arrested at Mary Rose School. Reports said they were on the roof of the building.

Milton Village Hall was also damaged, although police said the incident was not currently linked to the raid at Moorhouse News.

Allison Udy, manager at Milton Village Hall, told of the damage to the hall, in Milton Road.

It forced the popular hall to be shut for the morning yesterday, along with Pure Ground coffee shop.

Allison told The News: ‘We had to close (yesterday) morning and reopen at lunch time.

‘All this damage and all this mess for relatively nothing, it’s just mindless.’

She added: ‘There’s an external glass door off the main hall, it looks like that’s how they’ve broken in, which was shattered. It’s all over the hall.

‘They kicked in our office door and ransacked the office. It looks like they were looking for cash.’

Allison said small change had been taken in the break-in.

‘They’ve continued into the coffee shop, smashed in their internal glass door and their kitchen door,’ she added.

‘They’ve ransacked in there and opened all the fridge and freezer doors. It’s more damage than anything.’

Norman’s Antiques in Cromwell Road, Milton, was also reportedly damaged.

The News has been unable to contact the owner of the antiques shop.

A police spokeswoman added: ‘There is a report of a break-in at Milton Village Hall between 5pm on July 26 and 6.30am on July 27 in which loose change was stolen.

‘A burglary at Norman’s Antiques in Cromwell Road happened between 10pm on Tuesday, July 26 and 4.30am on July 27. Nothing is believed to have been stolen.’

No-one was immediately available for comment from Moorhouse News.

Hampshire police said they were investigating the incidents and the boys remained in custody.

Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, ward member for Milton, said: ‘It’s very distressing for everybody involved and it’s very sad for the community.’

Anyone with information should call police on 101.