Stonebridge Road

Stonebridge Road hit by two break-ins over eight days

The director of Ebbsfleet United Football Club says after two thefts she wanted to put up a “closed” sign on the door “and go home”.

Jessica McQueen said the burglars stole pitch-length electrical cables, crippling the floodlights and refreshment facilities which will cost around £5,000 to replace. They would only be worth a few hundred to a scrap dealer.

And ground-keeping equipment was taken in a separate theft.

The theft forced the postponment of Wednesday night’s reserve game against Chelmsford City and Southport’s visit to Stonebridge Road on Saturday, February 25, has been brought forward an hour to 2pm so it finishes in daylight.

Ms McQueen said: “We have been trying to muddle through as best we can. It’s all with our insurance people at the moment.

“What really irritates us is that people are buying this cable from these thieves. If they were not buying from them with cash, then they wouldn’t steal it.

“I know there are legitimate sales going on. But all the time there is cash involved it allows people to be dishonest.

“If it was all done through bone fide company accounts it wouldn’t happen. You would have to have proper checks and have to know where it’s come from and money would be transferred in to a bank account once they produced all the paperwork and invoices.

“It would create a paper trail that would be easy to follow. As that doesn’t happen, it’s like a free for all, and people like us are the victims.

“This must have been a lorry load taken from here, and amazingly no one heard or saw a thing with a 24-hour garage opposite us and a local company nearby that has 24 hour security.

“It’s a bit galling really, and we are feeling a bit battered and bruised because we have had two break-ins over eight days and we are started to get a little fed up.

“You just think to yourself ‘let’s just put the shut sign outside and go home’. That’s how we feel – just a bit defeated which is a shame.”

Trying to look on the bright side of getting the floodlights back in action, she said: “But we are up and fighting again now and hopefully we will get everything fixed, including the lights, by the time of our evening game against Wrexham on March 13.

“It’s a struggle to keep going as it is without this as well.”

A whole series of games and kick offs have been changed or postponed for the Conference Premier side can complete matches in daylight while they work on getting the cables replaced.

Club officials hope repair work can be done in time for the club’s next home game on 13 March which has to be played in the evening.