‘Powerless’ after garden is burgled

Heartless thieves have targeted a Dinnington care home twice within the space of a month.

Staff at The Glades have been left feeling ‘powerless’ after equipment, plans and furniture from the garden was stolen.

Home manager Catherine Kay said they had entered a garden competition run by the home’s owner Exemplar Ltd.

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But before the judging could take place the home, on Falcon Way, was targeted by thieves.

Catherine is now appealing for anyone with information to contact police.

“Hopefully by letting people know what has happened we will get people coming forward with information,” she said.

“It’s upset the staff more than anything. We feel powerless to do anything. We are a bit loath to buy things again for them to get taken again.”

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Staff decided to enter the competition several months ago and spent around £350 buying plants, garden furniture and equipment for the garden.

The garden, at the side of the home, is ideal for service users to use because it is secluded and hidden from the main road.

Catherine said: “We had entered a gardening competition that the group that we work for runs.”

“We have a little side garden that our service users can access and still be safe. It’s quite secluded.”

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“We bought all our plants and furniture to do the garden for the competition.”

“We’d done quite a lot of work getting the garden ready and then unfortunately we were burgled. We replaced some of the garden furniture and little watering cans, and were starting to replace the rest when we got burgled again.”

A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “Sometime between 8pm on the 6th June and 7.30am on the 7th June 2012, thieves broke into an out building at a care home on Falcon Way, various items of garden tools were stolen. Then in the early hours of the 9th July, thieves stole items of garden furniture from outside the premises.”

“Officers from the Dinnington Safer Neighbourhood Team are in contact with the care home to offer reassurance and security advice, and appeal to anyone with any information to please contact South Yorkshire Police on 101 quoting incident number 226 of the 7 June 2012, alternatively call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”