Burglars stole items meant for city’s needy families

BURGLARS STOLE toys and essentials destined for struggling families when they ransacked a baby bank this weekend.

Items including a new boxed high chair, bags of new toys, nappies and soaps were taken during the raid at Leeds Baby Bank.

But the full extent of the losses and damage will only become clear in the coming days as volunteers continue to clear up.

Partner and trustee Faye Freeman said yesterday: “We had people coming to collect those items that are gone. They were bundled up ready to go out to vulnerable people this week.

“We will be able to reorganise but we are volunteers and we do it in our spare time. These poor people are going to have to wait a few days now.”

The volunteers had been in a celebratory mood following the baby bank’s annual general meeting and a party to mark its first anniversary on Friday.

Since it was set up by a group of local mothers in January 2016, the organisation has supported about 600 families in Leeds.

But their joy turned to heartbreak on Saturday when a fellow tenant at St Catherine’s Business Complex, in Bramley, called to alert them about the break-in.

Burglars had broken into a unit rented by a delivery business and then smashed an adjoining door to get into one of the baby bank’s four rooms overnight on Friday.

It is believed they may have been disturbed as a number of items from the storage room were left near the front door.

Miss Freeman said: “The main thing is nobody was hurt. Things will get replaced, we won’t be beaten. We had a joiner message us to say he’d fix our damaged door. There’s lots of people offering to buy us replacements for things missing. I love the people of Leeds – they are amazing.”

Donations can be made via the group’s GoFundMe appeal page.