'Low-life' burglars steal £1,000 equipment from scout centre

Over a £1,000 worth of equipment was stolen from a storage container belonging to Waltham Forest South District Scouts at the Michael Mallinson Scout Centre in Charter Road, Highams Park, at some time between 5.30am and 6.30pm.

Scout leader Dale Johnson had been camping at the centre over the weekend with around 20 children from the 5th Walthamstow scouts and had left the site locked up and secure.

He had walked past yesterday morning and the entrance gate was locked but later that evening saw it was open and reported it to joint district commissioner Laurie Kavanagh.

The south district is home to beavers, cubs, scouts and explorers from Highams Park, Walthamstow, Leyton and Leytonstone and the Michael Mallinson Centre has been their home for over 40 years.

The chain to the main gate had been cut and a grinder had been used to cut through the padlocks on one of three containers.

A walk-behind lawnmower worth £850 was taken along with a £300 multi-tool strimmer and a heavy goods trolley.

Laurie Kavanagh shows where the burglars have cut through the padlock and bolt  

Mr Kavanagh, said: "Someone must have been watching me or seen my using these tools to know exactly where the equipment was kept.

"I am thoroughly disappointed and absolutely gutted.

"It has left a feeling deep in my stomach.

"We are trying to do stuff for the community and have 600 scouts in this district.

"This will affect them all, either from increasing their subscription, which we don’t want to do, or by asking them to fundraise to make up the losses.

"These criminals are lowlifes - rather than helping us, they’re helping themselves."

In total, the cost of damage, replacing the equipment and insurance costs is estimated at £2,000. 

The district’s chairman and former Waltham Forest mayor and Higham Hill ward councillor, Peter Woollcott, was at the centre today.

He said: "It is very upsetting for all of us, particularly the leaders, who donate their time voluntarily in the interest of helping children in this borough."

Mr Kavanagh described the lawnmower as a red Toro Timemaster self-propelled walk-behind, adding: "I want the public to know this happened and if they see these tools being offered cheaply, please tell the police."

The land was given to the council by owner of Woodford Green's White House, benefactor and friend of Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Stuart Mallinson, who donated it on the basis it was used for scouting.

The centre was named after his son ‘Michael’ who died in the Second World War.

Mr Kavanagh and Mr Woollcott stand beside the scout centre which has recently had a £1,000 makeover to try and encourage more people to join the centre