Charity '˜blown away' by support after Peterborough shop broken into three times in a week

Kellie Preston, store manager at Sue Ryder at Eye, looking at the damage from the first theft

The charity shop in Crowland Road, Eye, which sells second-hand furniture, clothing, books and homewares, was broken into between 5pm on Saturday, August 4 and 9am on Sunday, August 5, costing it thousands of pounds.

Damage was sustained to the front and interior doors of the shop, with cash from the donation box and a significant amount of stock stolen.

Sadly there were then two further break-ins over the following week.

The shop supports the Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in Longthorpe which cares for people with living with conditions like cancer, heart failure and lung disease.

Thanking the public for their support following the thefts, Sue Ryder retail area manager Simon Foster said: “I would particularly like to thank Britannia Fire and Security Ltd who immediately offered to supply and install a CCTV and Intruder Alarm system to our shop in Eye after hearing about the incidents in August, at no cost to the charity.

“I have been blown away by the way the local community have all offered their help and support. Community is very a special thing and Sue Ryder in Eye views the shop as a core part of Peterborough.

“We provide hospice and neurological care and treat a huge variety of conditions, more than any other UK charity. To make this happen we rely on the support and generosity of the local community. Our volunteers are all local people who freely give their time.

“Although we were all very saddened by the crime we have all been buoyed by the response it has provoked and the thoughtful and positive actions of so many. Thank you all.”

Graham Cleaver, service manager for Britannia Fire and Security Ltd, which is based in Mere View Industrial Estate, Yaxley, said: “When we heard about the break-ins we were really shocked that someone would target a charity shop, not once but on several occasions.

“We’ve been in business for over 21 years in Peterborough and the Sue Ryder charity shop has been core to the local community so we wanted to do something really positive to help them back on their feet.”