Rugby chairman hits out at charity box thieves

Three different rugby clubs were targeted by thieves last week in a spate of burglaries which police say are linked.

Charity tins were taken from the Cow Lane club some time between 10pm on March 8 and 8.20am on March 9.

And chairman of youth rugby at the club, Jonathan Westcott, has a message for the thieves.

He said: “It’s disappointing that people would do that to a registered charity.

“We’re a sports club of volunteers, run very much in the interest of the community, so it’s a bit of a shame that people would stoop that low, to target that type of place.

“It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, it seems they went after cash but they realised nothing was around. “They took change from charity boxes so it’s hard to know what was in them because we never open them up.”

Thieves also targeted Harpenden Rugby Club between 5pm on March 7 and 4.30pm on March 8, escaping with a safe. At Hemel Rugby Club, at around 2am on March 9, burglars smashed through doors and wrecked CCTV, alarm systems and speakers before escaping with cash from tills.

Five Herts rugby clubs have now been targeted in the last three months after Letchworth Rugby Club was burgled in January and Hertford Rugby Club in February.

Anyone who saw anything suspicious or who has any information is asked to contact Herts Police on the non-emergency number 101.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.