The club would like to ask our football community for help and assistance in identifying individuals who have targeted the football club for a sustained period of time.
Chief Operating Officer Stephen Hobin would like to issue to the following appeal.
“Over a period of 16 days the club has been broken into 12 times causing considerable damage to kiosks, windows and hospitality areas, together with external gates and fences. To date the police have been unable to apprehend the perpetrators and therefore staff have been staying overnight more recently to protect our club from further losses. Of course this is both distressing for staff and has a huge financial impact on the running of the club leaving us with large repair bills and significant losses. Furthermore until the perpetrator is brought to justice the club has increased our security measures for the foreseeable future, again an unexpected cost that is unbudgeted.
We have CCTV images of the thieves and would ask local residents particularly on the Mill House side of the stadium to be extra vigilant and ring the police immediately if they see suspicious behaviour around the stadium. One of the thieves rides a mountain bike to the Millhouse perimeter fence, breaks in and disappears in the direction of the leisure centre towards Belk Street, often making several trips back and forth. The male is white, aged approx. 25 – 40 and wears a dark coat with his hood up. The crimes are committed at various times usually between the hours of 10pm and 6am.
The police have stepped up patrols for which we are grateful, however to date no one has been arrested for these crimes. I know the football community in Hartlepool will be as shocked and appalled as we are and if anyone has any information please contact the club via email: enquiries@hartlepoolunited.co.uk or contact Crimestoppers which is 100% Anonymous on 0800 555 111 and of course if a crime is seen in progress call the Police on 999 “