Police hunt for The Grinch of Gilbert Court

Sometime overnight on Sunday, November 17, the thieves broke into Gilbert Court sheltered housing accommodation, Bath Road.
One of the accommodation’s committee members and a resident, who asked not to be named, said that since January, the 22 residents had been putting £2 a month into a pot in order to pay for a Christmas meal.
She estimated that about £80 worth of food and other items were stolen during the break-in.
She said: “£2 a month is a lot of money for some of these people.
“All the stuff was locked into a room that only three of us have access to.”
The heartless thieves stole all the food that had already been bought for the celebratory lunch including mince pies and Christmas puddings as well as raffle prizes.
However, unlike The Grinch, they left the Christmas tree and decorations.
The resident added: “It was really disconcerting; we were all pretty gutted.
“It was the fact that we had broken the back of what we needed to get and now we are going to have to start again.
“It’s a heartbreaking thing because these people have been saving up and they have been looking forward to it.
“They were very upset because the stuff had gone and they were also very nervous afterwards.”
However, thanks to a local supermarket, staff and residents will have some festive fare for their party.
The Co-Op shop in the Broadway has donated a selection of mince pies to help replenish what was stolen.
The resident said that the kind donation by the store had restored her faith in human kind.
She said: “As soon as we told them, they said they would help.
“It was very nice of them.”
She added that although the committee at Gilbert Court should be able to find the money to replace the stolen items, any donations would be welcome.
Anyone with information should contact the police on the non-emergency number on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.