Lead theft gangs target Thatcham GP surgery and children's centre

Sometime overnight on Tuesday, March 20, thieves stripped lead from the roof of Thatcham Medical Practice, Bath Road.
Later on the same evening, lead was stolen from the roof of North Thatcham Children’s Centre, Park Lane.
Thames Valley Police spokesman Adam Fisher said that officers did not believe both incidents were carried out by the same group.
Thatcham Medical Practice manager Linda Lawson said that it was a member of staff who discovered the theft, adding that it was not the first time that it had been targeted by lead thieves.
She said: “They have done quite a lot of damage.
"Where they removed the lead, they also removed some of the brickwork and disturbed quite a lot of the tiling.”
She said that most of the damage was located at the front of building on the Bath Road side.
The practice was able to open the next day but Ms Lawson said that that it had been disruptive.
She added: “We are very disappointed that somebody has gone on the roof and caused this damage.
“It is frustrating because it is petty damage that people do.”
She asked that anybody who witnessed the theft or anyone
who witnessed anything suspicious contact the police or the practice.
North Thatcham Children’s Centre is run by West Berkshire
Council. Spokesman Keith Ulyatt said: “The lead that was taken was flashing from under the eaves.
We will be replacing it with non-lead material, which should prevent a recurrence.
“The cost of repair could be somewhere in the region of £1,800, which is below insurance thresholds so payment will have a direct impact on the services to the community that this centre provides.”
Anyone with information should telephone Pc Christopher Tabersham, on 101.