Thieves swipe games from disabled children

Heartless thieves have been slammed for stealing games systems and television from a group working with disabled children, just weeks before Christmas.
Heartless thieves have targetted ALS, the disabled children's community group based in the Gatehouse Centre on Waterloo Road. Even the few items which were left, such as this pool table, were damaged or broken beyond repairHeartless thieves have targetted ALS, the disabled children's community group based in the Gatehouse Centre on Waterloo Road. Even the few items which were left, such as this pool table, were damaged or broken beyond repair
Heartless thieves have targetted ALS, the disabled children's community group based in the Gatehouse Centre on Waterloo Road. Even the few items which were left, such as this pool table, were damaged or broken beyond repair

Night-time raiders broke into the Gateway Centre in Waterloo Road late on Thursday night.

They swiped an X-Box, Nitendo Wii and televisions which belonged to Activity and Leisure Solutions - a group which provides holiday club and other activities for around 30 children and young people.

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Boss Lynda Dwornik is among the staff devastated by the burglary.

She said: “We were broken into on Thursday night.

“They’ve taken the televisions, the X-Box, the Wii.

“They’ve even taken the vacuum cleaner.

“Why would you do this.

“Essentially these people have stolen from disabled children, that’s what they’ve done.

“It’s just a few weeks before Christmas and now the children and young people don’t have these things to play on when they visit us.

“The consoles, the televisions, they were just for the children.

“Why would you do it?”

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The burglary was discovered by a member of staff on Friday morning and was revealed to children when they turned up for after school activities.

Two people were captured on CCTV but Lynda said it was almost impossible to identify them from the images.

She said: “They have come in a searched for what they wanted to take.

“They are both in black and you can’t see their faces.

“What we can’t understand is why they’ve decided to do this.”

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Scenes of Crime officers were at the centre on Friday morning hoping to retrieve forensic evidence from the scene.

Lancashire Police confirmed the Gateway Centre and the neighbouring Elm Pentecostal Church had been burgled on Thursday night.

A spokesman said: “We were called on Friday morning to reports of a burglary in Waterloo Road.

“Somebody has gained access through a side window and taken cash a radio mike system and a laptop computer.

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“They have then moved on to the Gateway Centre from where an X-Box and Nintendo Wii and TV and stereo have been taken.

“There have currently been no arrests in connection with the incident.”

Anyone with information should call Lancashire police on 1010 quoting Log 266 of December 2.