Charity cafe is ransacked by burglars
BUS PARK CAFE’S FOUNDER WOULD HAVE BEEN ‘ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIED’ BY RAIDERS WHO SMASHED THEIR WAY INTO BUILDING AND TOOK CASH
THE late founder of a charity cafe would have been “absolutely horrified” after thieves smashed their way in and ransacked the premises, staff have said.
The Bus Park Cafe, off Market Street, Swadlincote, founded by Gill Farrington, was forced to close on Tuesday, scrapping two fund-raising bingo sessions, after it was broken into during the night in an act staff branded “absolutely disgusting”.
However, volunteers still managed to provide the café’s “meals on wheels” service for elderly and vulnerable people.
The intruders threw a rock through the premises window before rummaging for knives in the kitchen to force open the office door. As they searched for cash, cabinets were tipped over and files strewn over the floor. Having found £200 in cash, the burglars then stole the device used to record CCTV footage.
Mary Murphy, the café’s meals on wheels supervisor, said: “Gill would be absolutely horrified. She was so passionate about helping the community and the elderly.
“It is an absolute disgrace that they could target a charity like this that is doing a great service to the elderly. These people should be named and shamed.
“It is another nail in the coffin. We are fully reliant on fund-raising and donations.” Gill, who was a South Derbyshire district councillor, died last year from cancer.
Mrs Murphy said she dropped her partner off at the café for his 7.30am shift on Tuesday when they discovered what had happened and called the police. She said: “It happened either Monday evening or Tuesday morning. My partner works there as a chef and I was dropping him off that morning. We pulled up and he said the office light was on.
“He said I must have left it on but I know I turned it off.
“I dropped him off and then started to drive off and then noticed the window had been smashed and he came back out and we phoned the police.
“They had thrown a rock through the window. It was distressing.
“They had ransacked the place. They went to the kitchen to get knives and forced the office door open, tipped over cabinets to get to the locked cash box.
“They broke the lock, and the glass in the office door was strewn on the floor
“They took the CCTV recordings but left the monitor. “They have caused no end of damage. We have got insurance but unfortunately we weren’t insured for the cash which was stolen, which was about £200.”
Mrs Murphy continued: “Just before Gill’s death she took on my partner as a chef and he promised her he would turn this place around. We now do 60 meals a day and before Gill died we did about 35.”
The Bus Park Cafe is now seeking donations to help meet the cost of the break-in.
Anyone who would like to donate to the café can do so by visiting the premises or calling 01283 480603.
Derbyshire police said no arrests had been made.
Anyone who has any information about the incident can contact them on the 101 non-emergency number.