Gorse Hill allotment plot holders count cost of mindless damage to sheds (From Swindon Advertiser)

Gorse Hill allotment plot holders count cost of mindless damage to sheds

10:10am Friday 8th March 2013 in News By Scott D'Arcy

PLOT holders at an allotment site in the town are having to fork out again after raids on their sheds caused wanton damage.

They have been left counting the cost following raids on around 18 sheds, causing around £2,000 in damage and theft of numerous tools at the Gorse Hill allotments. A 12-year-old boy has been questioned by police over the incident on March 1, while officers are still looking for two teen suspects.

Warden Terry Reynolds said break-ins were a regular occurrence and this time the thieves jumped over a garden wall to gain access before cutting a hole in the fence to find their way out.

He said: “It’s just mindless – this is a regular occurrence and plot holders are fed up of having to pay for the damage done.

“They got in by climbing over the wall and then cut a hole in the fence large enough to walk through. Lots of sheds had doors broken and two metal sheds in particular that cannot be repaired but have to be replaced – they are £400 a time.

“There were lots of tools spread randomly about the place and I think they might have been coming back for more later as they did not take all that much. It’s more the damage they’ve done by smashing the locks – my shed had a new lock on it and they’ve just ripped the whole panel off, which will cost me another £78.

“And this was at 4.30pm in the afternoon so it’s broad daylight. If they are that brazen they will break-in at that time then God help us. There is very little we can do to protect ourselves.

“Swindon Council put up an eight foot high security fence at the front of it but they’ve just jumped over a wall.”

Police are appealing for information following the burglaries which took place shortly before 5pm on March 1 at the allotments off Wheeler Avenue, in Upper Stratton.

Officers are keen to speak to two other youths seen in the area at the same time. Both are described as being white boys, of slim build and between the ages of 14 and 17. One was described as wearing a grey anorak and the other as wearing a blue anorak.

The teens jumped over a fence of a garden in Wheeler Avenue and made off in the direction of Cricklade Road.

It is believed that the males made off in two push bikes – one which had a trailer.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Constable Lisa Mundy at the Local Crime Team in Swindon on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.