Thieves burgle Portsmouth charity - leaving them with £1,000 of damage

Thieves are believed to have broken into the premises and activated the alarm between 5.54 and 6 am on Sunday morning.

Chief executive, Carole Damper, said: '˜I know times are hard for everyone but to pick on a charity which is trying to help people in the local community is ridiculous.' 

The Roberts Centre is dedicated to providing support to local families and children who are homeless or suffering from hardship. Whilst a number of items of value had been taken the biggest cost has been caused by the damage which the intruders left behind.

'˜As well as breaking the skylight, when they were coming off the roof they jumped onto the porch and broke it,' explained Ms Damper.

Ms Damper does not intend to claim for the estimated £1000 damages due to the impact on the policy premium.

'˜It is so hard to raise charitable donations and yet we are going to have to find an extra £1000. That money could potentially have run a children's summer play scheme for the next four weeks,' added Ms Damper.

Police are investigating the incident and have taken finger prints from a knife left behind at the scene.

Ms Damper said her '˜faith in humanity was restored' after a local trader fixed the skylight without taking any payment.