Pub raiders steal charity collections

CALLOUS burglars broke into a Loughborough pub and stole two charity collection tins.

The offenders forced their way into Maxwells in Maxwell Drive, overnight between Wednesday, February 19, and Thursday, February 20, unhooked the two tins chained to the bar, and made off.

Pub manager Andrew Horne said: “In the middle of the night, someone broke into the pub, grabbed them off the bar and ran off again.”

One collection tin contained donations to The Poppy Appeal, which supports our Armed Forces community with the financial, practical and emotional assistance they need.

The other donation tin was to help raise money to establish a war memorial in Thorpe Acre to honour those from the ancient village, who have fallen while serving their country.

The memorial is proposed to be on The Green and Charnwood Borough councillor Roy Campsall is hoping to raise around £3,000 for a proposed 4ft tall obelisk.

Coun Campsall said: “I was shocked and saddened to think that someone could stoop so low as to steal money that was being raised to erect a war memorial in honour of local lads that gave their lives in the last two world wars,

“I don’t know how they can sleep at night.”

A spokesperson for Leicestershire Police said: “We received a report on February 20 of a burglar at a pub in Maxwell Drive.

“A ground floor window was forced open and some charity boxes had been stolen.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact Leicestershire Police via 101 quoting incident 150 of February 20.