Giant safe stolen as club is ransacked

YOBS caused damage running to thousands of pounds and stole a massive safe after breaking into Oldham St Anne’s Amateur Rugby League Football Club.

They gained entry through a heavy steel security door which leads to the cellar of the Higginshaw Road club.

The thieves, who struck on Friday night, took crates of beers and every bottle of spirits — even the ones on the optics.

They also wrecked the one arm bandit machine, cut the phone lines and dismantled the burglar alarm — the smashed box was found on Shaw Road.

Recording equipment and a computer were also smashed. The safe contained a week’s takings.

A dog walker noticed the state of the club on Saturday morning and notified officials.

Club chairman, Tony Badby, said : “Three of our rugby lads couldn’t have picked that safe up so there must have been a fair few of them.

“They must have had a vehicle to take all this stuff out.

“The damage caused was unbelievable and we are flabbergasted that anyone could do such a thing to an amateur club, struggling for cash at the best of times.

“The raiders were also on the roof at some point — someone must have seen them.

“It’s hard to believe that people can do this. It’s hard enough to operate a amateur organisation. It’s more than annoying.”

The club has had to quickly turn the place around in a clean-up ahead of a function tonight.

Police confirmed the burglary and say their investigation is ongoing.