Thieves empty soup, spread butter and use football club's own minibus as battering ram
Yobs ransacked a non-league football club before stealing the team’s minibus and using it as a battering ram to smash down two gates and escape.
Rushall Olympic in Walsall was targeted in the early hours raid with the gang causing around £40,000 worth of damage.
The thieves left a trail of destruction behind them – smashing the boardroom windows, trashing the match day sponsors lounge and even emptying cans of soup and spreading butter all over the club on Thursday.
The £25,000 minibus was found nearby in Hillside Crescent, Pelsall, and it is feared the vehicle is a write-off.
Fundraiser
The club is backing an online fundraising campaign to raise £1,000 towards the costs.
Chairman John Allen thanked supporters who helped clean up following the incident at the club, which plays in the Southern League Premier Central division.
He dubbed the raid at the Dales Lane club as an act of ‘wanton vandalism.’
“It makes us feel angry – there’s no doubt about it," said Mr Allen.
“We do not do this to make any money. It’s just wanton vandalism.
“Someone went past at 5.30am and saw the gates open the wrong way.
Ransacked
"They climbed over the gates, the roof of the turnstiles, got in the ground, smashed the boardroom windows, smashed the alarms.
“They got in the club and how they’ve done it I don’t know – there’s a massive safe, and they’ve ripped the back off and taken some money.
“The bar has been ransacked and they’ve trashed the portacabin where we do the match day sponsors lounge.
“They then found the keys, gone outside and taken the minibus before smashing it backwards through some double gates and then turning it round to drive forward through the main gates.
“We found the car written off in Pelsall. We’ve had break-ins before but not of this stature.
“There was more money in the safe than I thought there was and in terms of goods – there’s a load of alcohol gone and everything has been trashed.”
The burglary is understood have happened sometime between 4am and 5.30am on Thursday. The club has not revealed exactly how much money was in the safe at the time.
Anyone with any information is urged to come forward and speak to police.
Volunteers worked hard throughout Thursday to make repairs and clean up the mess that head been left behind.
Anger
Mr Allen said they were hoping CCTV in the area will be able to help the police’s investigation.
His son and vice-chairman of the club, Nick Allen, added: “It’s not just about taking stuff that makes you angry, it’s opening tins of soup, microwaving them and throwing them everywhere; spreading butter out and throwing it all over the floor.
“It’s just the wanton vandalism for no reason whatsoever – taking charity boxes. They’ve just used the van and minibus as a battering ram.
“It looks like a write-off and is in a right old state.
"It’s been great to see everyone come and help and gives you a little shot in the arm. Something like this just pushes you back. They even took a signed DVD and will probably sell it for nothing.”
Police are appealing for anyone who has information about the incident to call 101.
Alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
The crime reference number is 20WS/120607Q/18.
