Pet crematorium staff 'devastated' after burglary

Darren Bates and Wendy Stone have thanked the community for rallying around them

Staff at a pet crematorium were devastated after burglars stole funds raised for grieving pet owners.

Thieves targeted Roxy's Rainbow Pet Cremation Services in Hartlepool on Monday.

Police have warned business owners to remove cash from their premises overnight after a spate of similar incidents.

Family-run Roxy's said they did "not understand the mentality" of those who would target a business like theirs.

Owner Darren Bates said the money was stolen from "Roxy's Pot of Gold", a collection of donations used to help customers who could not afford to give pets "the send off they deserved".

'Passionate'

The donations included £600 given by a family who had fundraised in support of the charitable endeavour.

Worker Wendy Stone said: "Roxy's Pot of Gold means an awful lot, it often reduces people to tears when we're able to help them.

"Families know how passionate we are about the care we have for the pets that come to us, we look after them like they're our own.

"Care and dignity is a priority for us and for someone to target a small business where that is the ethos is devastating."

Fundraising

Mr Bates said the worst thing about the incident was calling the family who had raised the money to let them know the results of their hard work had been stolen.

However, in response to the news, the family set about fundraising again and have already helped to raise more than £600 to replenish the emptied "pot of gold".

"The support we've been given from everyone around has been amazing," Mr Bates said.

"You don't realise how much people rally around when you need it.

"There are a lot of good people out there and we shouldn't be deterred by these scumbags."

'Simple steps'

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police confirmed "a number of other commercial burglaries" had taken place in Hartlepool recently, but said they were not being linked to the theft from Roxy's.

The force's crime prevention specialists said five burglaries at town centre businesses had been reported over the Easter weekend.

Food shops and takeaways were targeted, with charity boxes stolen alongside cash tills.

Police are now urging business owners to "take simple steps" to prevent them becoming victims of theft and from facing repair bills.