Burglars raid charity food bank - for the second time this year

Thieves struck at the hut in Beecroft Road, Cannock, escaping with boxes of food intended for those struggling to make ends meet.

The cabin, donated by Cannock Rotary Club, has been used by the Pye Green youth and community services for seven years to provide food at lunchtimes five days a week.

Volunteers hand out sandwiches, cake, crisps and a drink from Monday to Friday, feeding around 25-30 people a day. In winter, they also provide warm clothing.

For the last two years, the charity has shared the premises with the local food bank where people can pick up food parcels on Monday and Wednesday afternoons.

The raiders forced open a back door on the portable cabin, situated on the council house car park, before helping themselves to packets and tins of food.

Cannock police are investigating the incident.

Volunteer Pat Wolfe, who discovered the break-in when she went to open up on Wednesday(8th), said: "You have to be very desperate to to steal from a food bank.

"As a charity we accept people as they are and try not to be judgmental but we are disappointed that this has happened.

"People don't realise what a food bank means to those who use it. The lunch side of it is particularly important because it provides for people on a daily basis."

The charity hut was also burgled eight months ago when the thieves got in through a tiny window and stole a small amount of money. Neither charity keeps cash on site anymore.

Mrs Wolfe said: "This is a metal cabin, so it's fairly solid. We're grateful to the Rotary Club for providing it and, more recently, installing electricity in it, but it seems whoever did this came prepared.

"We really hope there isn't another break-in because this place means a lot to users. Many residents are not aware that people in the town are going hungry. They would really suffer without the service."