Thieves target homeless charity

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A CASH-strapped homeless charity in Worcester has been dealt another blow after thieves caused nearly £2,000 worth of damage.

Staff at the Maggs Day Centre, which provides shelter and support for homeless people, were left devastated after the Deansway centre, was broken into in the early hours of Sunday, January 22.

The thieves gained access after smashing through one of the former St Albans Church windows.

They then broke into a safe, stealing around £150, crashed through a wall, ripped half a door off and caused damage to fixtures and fittings.

Acting manager Mel Kirk said: "It is just awful, what can you say, how could somebody rob a charity? The staff are all devastated and really angry because our clients have nothing.

"It is just unfathomable that someone would do that to a homeless charity. Words can't describe how you feel about it."

The charity has struggled with cuts to its funding and relies heavily on donations.

Miss Kirk added: "We have been struggling for funding for a long time. If we get the extras security cameras that we are going to put in and if we get the go ahead from the conservation officers to put in even stronger windows then we have got to look for money from somewhere to do all of this."

PC Alexander Denny said: "We believe there may be two people responsible for the burglary - one who went inside the centre, while the other acted as a look out.

"I would appeal to any members of the public who were in the area at the time and recall seeing people hanging around outside the centre, near to the gates of the Worcester College of Technology on Deansway, to get in touch."

Anyone with information about this incident can call PC Denny on 0300 333 3000, quoting 172S 220112 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.