'Destructive' thieves steal charity's equipment and then burn it after getting stuck

A lorry was set alight after an attempted theft of a charity's specialist machinery and equipment failed. The damage totals tens of thousands of pounds and has set work back "months" according to trustees.

The lorry was used to haul goods taken during the attempted theft at the Volunteer Training Centre at the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust's (LRWT) Rutland Water Nature Reserve late last month. Stolen equipment was loaded into the vehicle before it got stuck in the mud while trying to make a getaway.

The would-be thieves then set fire to the lorry and the equipment to try to cover their tracks. The LRWT, who used the equipment to manage the reserve, said the incident had set back “months” of work and cost them more than £40,000 in damages.

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Joe Davis, head of reserves at the trust, said: “This incident is a major setback to nature recovery efforts within our two counties. The money raised during our Reserves Appeal last year helped purchase some of this equipment, making its loss particularly devastating. We now face a huge clean-up bill, loss of essential equipment, and the postponement of many planned works."

The fire is believed to have happened sometime overnight between Sunday, October 27, and Monday, October 28. The LRWT said the blaze had also left “extensive physical and environmental damage” to the wildflower meadow at the reserve.

Mat Carter, CEO of the trust, said it was “deeply saddened by this destructive act”. He said it directly impacted the “operations” of the nature reserve and the “invaluable time and resources of our staff and volunteers”.

A spokeswoman for Leicestershire Police said an investigation was ongoing into the attempted theft of “two specialised pieces of equipment from a premises in Oakham Road, Oakham.” They were discovered to be missing shortly before 9am on Monday, October 28, before they were found abandoned “nearby burnt out”.

Anyone with information is urged to call police on 101, quoting crime reference number 24*642137. Alternatively, report information on the force's website.

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