Thieves steal raffle prizes from care home

Sarah Sasmazer standing outside the broken office window. She is wearing a black dress and has dark short hair. The window has been boarded up with light-coloured wood. The window is at the side of a building and looks out at green bushes.
Image source, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
Image caption,

Care home manager Sarah Sasmazer said those who stole the prizes should face the consequences of what they have done

  • Published

Thieves have stolen raffle prizes from a care home which had been raising money to pay for extra activities for its residents.

Haven Court in South Shields was broken into overnight on 17 July by thieves who smashed a window and climbed into the building.

They snatched the prizes which had been donated by staff and loved ones.

The care home's manager Sarah Sasmazer said that finding the "kindly donated" items were stolen was "utterly devastating", adding: "We hope the person or people who did this realise the impact it has had and they think long and hard about their actions."

Surveying the damage, she said: "We also need to foot the bill for repairs, which is another cost to our home, when we really want to focus our time and funds on caring for our residents."

The broken window which was smashed by thieves. The glass is shattered and the frame has been broken. Glass lies on the concrete paving underneath the window.Image source, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
Image caption,

The thieves smashed an office window to gain access to the building

The prizes were due to be offered in a tombola and raffle on the 2 August.

The money raised was to be used to pay for entertainers, fish and chip Fridays, ice creams and trips out for residents.

Staff at the care home, which is located in the grounds of South Tyneside District Hospital, are now trying to collect a new set of prizes.

Local organisations have already stepped in to help and the Trust's dedicated charity, the STS Charity, has donated £100 towards new prizes.

A Tesco store in Simonside in Jarrow and an Asda in Boldon have also donated gifts.

Haven Court has since carried out a review of its security and new measures are in place.

A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said no-one has yet been arrested in connection with the break-in.

Ms Sasmazer urged anyone with information about the theft to contact the force.

"Someone will know who did this," she said.

"Whoever is responsible should face the consequences for what they have done."

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