Anger as Rawthorpe Amateur Boxing Club at Gas Club is burgled
Jul 30 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner
Burglary at Gas Club, Huddersfield.
A BOXING club which had just secured its future has been dealt another body-blow.
Burglars ransacked the Huddersfield premises of the Rawthorpe Amateur Boxing Club, stealing and damaging property worth thousands.
And as they cleared up the mess, a sneak thief struck hours later – stealing £20 from a till.
The news comes only days after the club – which has helped keep hundreds of youngsters out of trouble – confirmed it was to continue.
There had been fears that the club would lose its home of more than a decade, the Gas Club in Gasworks Street.
But the Gas Club is now to stay and boxing officials were about to embark on a big fundraising drive to guarantee even more success.
The burglary, which was discovered early yesterday, has hit both clubs.
Gas Club committee members were counting the cost of the burglary. The intruders not only stole stereo and TV equipment and bottles of spirits, but caused damage in the bar.
The Boxing Club had cash and TV equipment stolen, but also saw damage to their gym machines which are used by the dozens of young boxers who train there.
The sneak-in theft was yesterday as staff tried to clean up after the break-in.
Mark Reynolds, director of the boxing club, said: “It is a sickening blow.
“We have been in detailed talks with the Gas Club and were looking forward with confidence. We had feared we would lose our home but now we are staying.
“Now the Gas Club has again been hit by burglars and vandals and this time, for the first time, they have targeted the boxing club as well.
“They have stolen the TV screens we use to show videos of the sport to our youngsters but have also caused a lot of damage to the gym equipment that is so vital to us.
“They also stole £500 cash that we had put aside for our fundraising walk to tackle the Three Peaks tomorrow.
“Dozens of the lads were going to do the walk and the money was to pay for T-shirts, for food and drinks as well as transport.
