Aeropark reopens after raid

EAST MIDLANDS Aeropark museum has reopened after thieves broke in causing thousands of pounds worth of damage and stole a safe containing large sums of money.

The museum has been closed since Monday, June 26 - the day after thieves broke in - but reopened on Thursday (July 6.)

Members of the public have donated more than £2800 to a crowd funding page to help pay get the museum up and running again.

Jen Paszkowski, PR officer for the museum told the Echo that the support from the public had been “overwhelming”.

She said that it had been “incredible” that so many people had donated to the Just Giving page, and she told the Echo that the Aeropark museum had also been given new security doors as a donation from a local business.

She said: “It has been unbelievable the amount of support that we have had from the public. We have had an amazing response online and I have received so many messages that I’ve barely been able to keep up.

“I would just like to thank everyone who has donated as I am sure all of the volunteers would like to say the same, and hopefully we can find out who did this.

“Watching the CCTV footage was heartbreaking, because only a few hours earlier we had one of our busiest ever open days and then to see all of the hard work undone by these thieves was terrible.”

Police told the Echo that two thieves broke into the museum in Castle Donington between 8pm and 9pm on Sunday, June 25.

They said that the men broke in wearing masks and hood and took a safe containing a large amount of cash.

And that they were believed to have broken in by cutting through a fence surrounding the museum and forcing open a door to the museum aircraft hanger.

PC James Broomfield, investigating the incident, said: “We are keen to trace the men we believe are responsible for this crime.

“The burglary has caused a great deal of distress to the museum’s volunteers who dedicate their time and effort to keeping it open for members of the public to visit.

“We would like to hear from you if you have any information.”

Call 101, asking to speak to PC James Broomfield, quoting incident number 17*268666.