"Soul destroying" theft leaves Crawley Leukaemia fundraisers devastated

LOWLIFE thieves stole £2,400 in cash raised at a charity fun day from under the noses of the organisers.

Callous robbers stole Laura Hawkins' car, which contained the cash collected during a charity football match for Leukaemia Research at Oakwood Football Club, in Tinsley Lane, on Sunday.

The event was organised to raise money for a company director, who lost his wife to the deadly disease just a few weeks ago.

Mrs Hawkins, who helped to organise the event, said: "It is a horrendous crime.

"I can't even describe how I'm feeling. It is completely gutting."

The charity football match was organised by Astins Ltd, who put up 11 men to play against Sussex County League Division One team, Oakwood Football Club.

As well as the charity cash, the car also contained several other valuable items inside, such as sat navs and i pods.

Mrs Hawkins said: "What makes it even worse is that it most definitely must have been someone that was at the fundraiser.

"They have taken everything, all the charity money. Who does a thing like that?

"We raised about £7,000 in total, of this £2,400 was in the car, and along with everything else that was in there, we're looking at about £3,000.

"We had raised loads of money and I put it in the car for safekeeping, I didn't want it lying around.

"I put my car keys in my bag and put the bag in the back room out of sight."

It was later when Laura went to check on her car keys that she realised what had happened.

The tearful PA added: "I was so hysterical when I found out. There were only about 40 people left at the end of the night.

"It is soul destroying really, that anyone could stoop so low."

The football match started at 2pm, before the entertainment continued into the evening with bouncy castles and a bucking bronco.

Sergeant Darren Taylor, from Crawley Police, said: "The stealing of the car is bad enough but the contents are far more important.

"It is despicable and the person must have known where that money had come from.

"The person may come forward if they have a conscience but I doubt it.

"I am personally making an appeal for this person to return the money and if they have any morals left they will."

Anyone that may have seen the car is asked to come forward.

It is a silver Peugeot 206 CC convertible, with purple leather seats and the registration number T2 LEH.

Anyone with information should call the police on 0845 60 70 999.