Cricket club 'disappointed' after latest break-in

Members of a village cricket club said they were "disappointed" after it was broken into for about "a ninth time" since April 2024.

Castor and Ailsworth Cricket Club, near Peterborough, said thieves had stolen items including grounds equipment in the burglaries, most recently taking alcohol from its bar.

Club player Ryan Evans said: "It is quite disheartening. Every Saturday you come back to a game and have something else missing."

Cambridgeshire Police said it was investigating a break-in at the club at about 23:30 BST on 12 August.

"We have had a range of things taken: all grounds equipment, lots of alcohol and even tea bags," he said.

"We have had CCTV put up this year…a new camera got put inside the pavilion but when they broke in recently, they covered it up.

"It is disappointing. We are a small village club. We are trying to re-build... [we] even have a women's team started for the first time this season with their first game held this weekend."

For the past three years the club, based in Port Lane, Castor, has been fundraising for a new pavilion with construction work starting in June last year.

Mr Evans said the club needed about £100,000 for it but had "hit a roadblock" due to the break-ins.

"We have been trying to raise money for a new pavilion and all of it we have raised is going to replace equipment and security for the ground," he said.

Previously, club secretary Joshua Weaver described the repeated incidents as "frustrating" and said they placed "a significant strain on the finances of the club".

But Mr Evans said the club appreciated the support it had received from the local community.

Police appealed for anyone with any information about the latest break-in to get in touch via its website, quoting reference 35/61269/25, or by phoning 101.

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