BURGLARS smashed their way into Southend United’s Training Ground to steal a haul of computer equipment.

They broke a window at Boots & Laces, in Eastern Avenue, before taking laptops and ripping projectors out of the ceiling.

The room they targeted was used by the Youth Academy and more than 100 children will now be affected by the devastation.

Steve Kavanagh, chief executive, said: “It’s awful that people could do that over Christmas, affecting the operation of the academy and the young players. That’s the worst part of it.It’s going to be difficult but we’re going to need to get it right for the kids.”

The damage was discovered on the morning of Christmas Eve when the first team went in to train.

It must have happened some time after Friday night’s 3-0 win against Chesterfield at Roots Hall.

This was the last time the management had been at the site.

Mr Kavanagh said it appeared someone had been scouting out the grounds to see when they would be empty over Christmas

He said: “Ordinarily the academy are there every weekend. They must have watched what’s happening with the team and whether there was anyone there, which makes it even more distressing.”

They spent Christmas Eve boarding up the broken window. Now the club hopes to get the room up to scratch before the Youth Academy come back next week.

Mr Kavanagh said: “People like that don’t search in an orgainised fashion, they just turn things over because they can’t be there very long.

“They smashed desks and things up, ripped projectors out of the ceiling, and some of the computer equipment is smashed up. They don’t unplug it and coil the wires.

“We are going to assess how much the damage is going to cost and how we are going to replace the IT equipment and repair bits and pieces that were smashed.”

He said the laptops also contained confidential information from the academy, and urged anyone with information to call police.

Officers visited the site and are set to return to take a full statement today. [FRI 28]
Anyone with information should call Southend police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

 

THE BLUES’ boxing day match was nearly cancelled because of a separate burglary.

Thieves had broken into Dagenham’s home ground and stolen copper piping from the toilets.

They had to get portable toilets in at the grounds, in Victoria Road, to save the day.
If the last minute action had not been taken Southend United would have missed out on their 3-0 win.

Mr Kavanagh, the chief executive, said: “The game was nearly off because they had thieves in on Christmas night who broke into the toilet block.

“That’s thieves for you. They don’t care about Christmas.”