'˜Heartless' break-ins at Luton Penrose garden and Keech Hospice Care charity shop

Keech Hospice Care charity shop, Birdsfoot Lane had cash and jewellery stolen between 5.15pm on October 3 and 8.35am on October 4.

A Keech Hospice Care spokeswoman, said: “As a charity, we rely on the community, including our 32 charity shops, to help to raise 70 per cent of the £5.7 million we need every year to care for adults in Luton and South Bedfordshire and children in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes with terminal and life-limiting illnesses.

“We are saddened by this incident and ask if anyone can help by donating their unwanted quality items to the shop, we would be very grateful at this difficult time.”

Meanwhile, earlier this autumn, Luton Penrose Roots to Recovery Garden (near the A6 New Bedford Road)had its shed lock broken on September 7 when someone slept inside, and its polytunnel damaged only a few days later on September 9, before a mobility scooter and chair were stolen between September 23 and 25.

Luton Penrose have nine integrated support services across Luton, Bedford and Central Bedfordshire, helping vulnerable residents.

Samantha Smith, Roots to Recovery project manager, said: “‘We are devastated that our lovely Penrose Roots to Recovery garden has been the target of vandals.

“Our project supports vulnerable adults in the local community to reduce social isolation and is growing from strength to strength.

“We have supported over 70 people since we opened a few months ago.

“How sad that a minority few seek to destroy our good work. We will not be defeated though – our service users have repaired all damage done and it is business as usual.’”

>Anyone with any information is asked to call Bedfordshire Police on 101 quoting reference number C/42285/2017.

For the Penrose incident contact police on C/41041/17.