The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
The chairman of Spalding Football Club is fuming after another break-in at the Tulips’ HQ.
The alarms went off on Saturday night and a computer tablet was taken from the premises at the Sir Halley Stewart venue.
Andrew Gay said the club is now resorting to having one of the windows bricked-up as this was the second time the club had been hit within weeks.
“We have a good alarm system that’s linked to the police and we were there within minutes but they were gone,” he said.
“You get quite despondent and it’s your time and your own expense when this happens.
There is a cost for everything and now we are paying to have a window bricked-up.”
The club is also home to other groups, including an organisation for the blind, two snooker teams and the Halmer Harriers.
“We are trying to make it a hub for the town as it is the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field and it is for the people of Spalding,” said Mr Gay.
He said that a security system had been sponsored by a local company after a spate of break-ins a couple of years ago but now the club is looking to update a CCTV system.
“All these things cost money and we all volunteer our time and money for the club and for the town. It will be around £2,000 for a new CCTV system, which is a lot of money,” said Mr Gay.
Following the break-ins, fruit machines were removed from the club as they were being hit.
In October 2016 the club was vandalised while alcohol was stolen along with cash and the contents of a charity box.
Mr Gay had threatened to close the club when it was broken into three times during that month.
“It is heartbreaking for all the volunteers and everyone involved with the club. You try to do something for the town and then this happens,” he said after the latest incident.
Any information about the break-ins should go to Lincolnshire police on 101.
