Thieves have smashed the glass doors of a trophy cabinet at a Kent golf club and taken the silverware – the second burglary on a golf club in the county in a few days.
The raid at the Ridge Golf Club in Sutton Valence on Tuesday was being treated as linked to one on the previous Friday, Kent Police said.
At the Ridge, operations manager Warren Doust said four people forced their way in through a fire door exit with a crowbar, damaged the cabinet and removed the trophies, leaving only glassware.
Meanwhile, West Malling Golf Club turned to social media to offer a £5,000 reward for information after three people stole trophies last Friday night.
Kate Brett said it had been a “difficult” week [BBC]
The West Malling club posted CCTV pictures on Facebook and said burglars broke into the rear of the club to steal all of the club’s “legacy trophies”.
The club’s director of golf, Kate Brett, said the disruption led to a “difficult” week, adding: “We’ve had to secure the club after doors were damaged by the burglars and assess what has been taken.”
She said the £5,000 reward had been offered for information leading to the return of the trophies, because they had “little material value” but were important to the history of the club.
Mark Avery said one of the stolen trophies had his late father’s name on it [BBC]
Vice captain Mark Avery said the awards held great emotional value to members, adding: “They are competed over each year and there’s a lot of pride when you win them.”
He said his own father, whose ashes were scattered at the golf course, had his name on one of the stolen trophies.
“He loved the club and we’re all shocked that somebody would take them,” he said.
Police said several trophies were taken from the West Malling Club in Trottiscliffe Road between 23:00 and 23:20 GMT last Friday.
Raiders swooped on the Ridge, which is in Chartway Street, at about 23:30 GMT on Tuesday.
A spokeswoman for the force said: “At this stage, we are linking this to a similar burglary at a golf course in West Malling.”
She said police were carrying out several lines of inquiry and urged anyone with information to contact the force.
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