Theft puts sailing club at risk

Two people were picked up by a CCTV camera after breaking into the yard of the Adur Centre Sailing Club, in Brighton Road, Shoreham, shortly before 10pm on Thursday, October 5.

They used a battery-powered jigsaw to cut through a safety boat's polythene hull and remove its motor, and also cut though metal casing designed to protect the engine from thieves.

Club chairman and instructor Chris Lane told the Herald: "The safety boat is a complete write-off. They cut through the hull and all the controls. This theft has put the club on the line.

"Our total loss of the boat and the outboard motor is near to 7,000. We can't raise that kind of money; it is beyond our means."

Mr Lane added the people responsible had appeared to know what they were doing. They had managed to avoid lights and being caught clearly on camera.

He said: "The security light came on, but they worked out how to avoid it. I would think they were reasonably professional people, in the worst sense of the word."

Mr Lane, of St Michael's Road, Worthing, and other helpers at the centre give up their time voluntarily to help youngsters get out on the water.

He explained the club's other safety boat was not of a high enough standard to be taken out to sea, limiting children to the River Adur.

"It is such a shame. The children were very sad about it. They are the sort of children who work hard and play hard," he added.

"We don't want to put our membership rates up. We just want to get on with the children who want to do it and have a go at it.

"We are all volunteers. We all give our time freely on a Sunday and run this club on a tight budget, so that sailing is available to all children, but this loss may well finish the club."