Burglars target academy, again

Burglars have broken into the Middleton Popstars Academy in Pioneer Mill on Morton Street and stolen commuter equipment worth thousands leaving children heartbroken.

The break in, the second one this year, happened on Tuesday (5 October 2010) night.

The burglars cut a hole in a 14 inch wall which backs on to the Kanky ginnel near Middleton Cemetery. They made off with an Apple Mac computer which was a replacement following a previous break in.

Founder of the community group, Anne Marshall said: “It is beggar’s belief!

“We have been here a very long time and nothing like this has ever happened before.”
Ms Marshall was the first person to arrive at the premises on Wednesday morning, she said: “When I first walked in I thought, it looks untidy in here, then I saw a hole in the roof and I thought oh my god; I looked at it for about five minutes and I was thinking how the hell have they managed to do that.”

The academy’s first break in happened in March this year and since then extra security provisions have been put in place.

Ms Marshall said: “To be targeted twice in six months is heartbreaking for the kids – but Popstars goes on

“This place means so much to the kids, we don’t want them to worry about it or get involved.”

Ms Marshall has asked for gates on the alley to deter opportunists but as yet she has had no luck. She is now questioning if the Academy, a well known Middleton community group, needs a direct link to the police.

Since the second break in even more security measures have been put in place. A builder repairing the wall said that it would have taken the criminals at least two hours to drill the hole and get in.

A spokesperson for the police was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.