Man arrested after children’s Christmas present fund stolen in burglary at Parents Against Grooming UK

Damage caused at Parents Against Grooming UK

A man has been arrested on suspicion of burglary after a break-in at the Parents Against Grooming UK hub on Yorkshire Street, Rochdale, on Tuesday evening (17 August).

Both the window and door of the hub, covered by CCTV and metal bars, were broken to gain access before a number of items and cash from donation boxes and a till were taken.

The money taken was the group’s annual Christmas present fund, which sees the non-profit group hand out hundreds of presents to local children each December.

Read more: Santa Claus hands out hundreds of presents from PAG UKPublished: 14 December 2020

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: “We were called shortly after 10.35pm on Tuesday 17 August to a report of a possible burglary at a charity store on Yorkshire Street, Rochdale.

“Enquiries have since established a quantity of cash was stolen.

“A couple of hours later, a 34-year-old man was arrested and taken to custody on suspicion of burglary. Enquires are ongoing.”

As Parents Against Grooming is a voluntary non-profit group, it cannot afford to currently replace items or repairs.

A fundraiser has been set up to aid with these costs. Donations can be made via GoFundMe.