Thief ‘targeted Highland charity centre’

The raider was disturbed by security guards at Maggie’s Highlands charity in Inverness and escaped without managing to steal the contents of the safe.

However, the cost of damage he left behind is expected to be significant.

The thief was seen leaving the centre, next to the city’s Raigmore Hospital, on a black and grey mountain bike, heading toward Culcabock Road.

Police Scotland have issued an appeal to any witnesses who may have seen the intruder escaping just after midnight on Sunday.

The thief used heavy tools to shatter the reinforced glass window of the centre’s kitchen.

He then managed to drag the heavy safe through the building and outside, scraping and damaging the floor.

When hospital security staff arrived at the scene they found the safe some ards down the road, damaged but unopened.

Detective Inspector Derek McGillivray said: “Maggie’s Highlands is a charity in Inverness that provides support to people with cancer and their family and friends.

“This attempt to steal funds from the centre is a despicable crime and I would urge anyone that has any information about the incident, or may have seen someone acting suspiciously in the area at the time, to contact us.”

Local councillor Ian Brown, an electrician at the hospital, said: “This is absolutely terrible that someone would stoop to this level of crime. Obviously we hope that they will be caught as soon as possible.”

Maggie’s Highlands fundraiser manager Andrew Benjamin was shocked and disgusted at the break-in.

He said: “The safe has been ruined. We had to shut the centre temporarily and cancel three programmes we lay on for people affected by cancer.

“This is a charity that gives so much to the community and helps so many people. Many people rely on this and yet one individual wants to come in and ruin that for everyone.”

Carole Bridge, the centre head at the charity, said she was ‘saddened’ by the attempted theft.

She added: “Thankfully the police have been able to recover the safe unopened. We are working closely with the police and are taking their advice on ways we can further increase the security of the centre and reduce the chances of similar incidents occurring in the future.

“I’d like to reassure all our visitors and supporters that the centre is now open and our full programme of support is available, providing free practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer and their family and friends.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.