‘Lowlife thieves’ target charity again
BURGLARS have been branded ‘lowlife thieves’ after they caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage following the FOURTH break-in at the borough’s RSPCA charity shops in six weeks.
Staff at the RSPCA shop on Middleton Way, Middleton, arrived at work on Tuesday to find the place had been vandalised.
The ‘vile people’ left empty-handed, according to a post on the RSPCA Rochdale Animal Centre Facebook page, as no money is left on the premises.
A picture posted on the Facebook page shows metal window bars torn off the frame.
The status, which was posted at 4pm on Tuesday, said: “Well what a start to our New Year!! Our shop in Middleton was broken into for the 2nd time within the last few weeks!
“Staff discovered the break-in this morning. The lowlife thieves have once again caused £100s worth of damage but left empty handed as NO MONEY is kept in any of our shops overnight anymore!!
“If anyone knows who these vile people are please contact the police - they need to be stopped & thrown in prison!”
It follows break-ins at RSPCA shops on Yorkshire Street in Rochdale town centre, Oldham Road in Balderstone and an earlier burglary at the Middleton store in late November.
Speaking at the time RSPCA area manager Shirley Mellor estimated the crimes cost the charity about £3,000.
The latest break-in caused shock among the local community, with many people leaving angry comments on Facebook about the perpetrators.
‘If anyone knows who these vile people are please contact the police’
Gail Green wrote: “Bad enough doing this in the first place but only the lowest of the low would break into a charity shop. What is the world coming to. Very sad.”
Dwaine Silverblade added: “Horrible scum, happen (sic) to me my first year setting up business here caused more in damage than they took.”
Enid Cartlidge said: “Stealing from a charity absolutely disgusting.”
David Winder added: “There are simply some people in this world who are such a bane on the rest of us. What a sad, sad state of affairs.”
Katy Reaston Smith posted: “This is awful. I hope they get caught and punished properly.”
Taz Bork offered: “If there is anything I can do to help out the Middleton team let me know, I’ll come help clear up or fix what I can.”
Greater Manchester Police were called at 8.30am on Tuesday.
The force says no arrests have yet been made but enquiries are ongoing.