Break-in at Witney Vikings football club: two boys identified

The break-in at Witney Vikings Youth Football Club involved criminal damage and theft at the Burwell Meadow address in Witney at around 7.20pm on Thursday 30 May.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said two boys gained access to a shipping container at the address where the Witney Vikings Youth Football Club is located.

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The boys threw “six or seven boxes and a bag of soccer balls” from inside the container, over the fence, and onto the basketball court.

The spokesperson said: 'The boxes each contained 12 football trophies, worth £500 each, and a bag of 10 footballs, worth around £100.'

“Officers attended and identified the offenders, who were given strong advice and helped to clean up the damage.”

It comes after Witney Vikings Football Club announced their clash online, sparking at least a hundred donations of more than £8,900 from the community.

The online fundraising page allowed residents to dig deep, with some donating up to £3,000 to the community club.

Club chairman Steve Bott previously said that without CCTV they feared they would not find the culprits.

Mr Bott told the Oxford Mail Around 100 personalized trophies were damaged, in addition to some field equipment and footballs, but he said he was buoyed by the support.

He said: “Any money left over will be earmarked for setting up our new house/base when we get one. »

“And the general support and love from the community gives the whole club a boost at the end of a difficult season.

“The club is entirely managed by around a hundred volunteers who give their time for the community. They must feel valued.”

County councilors Cllr Liam Walker and Cllr Ted Fenton indicated they would cover the cost of replacing the trophies and would discuss further with the club in the coming weeks.

Cllr Walker said: “It is devastating that such senseless vandalism has taken place in Witney and that Witney Vikings must now look to replace the damaged trophies.

“When I spotted the post on Facebook I spoke with my colleague ClIr Ted Fenton and we both agreed that we could help them by providing funding from our Councilor Priority Funds to help cover the cost replacing trophies for young players.

“There is also a GoFundMe page that has raised thousands of dollars thanks to the community coming together to support them, which is just incredible.”

Mr Bott said going forward the best way locals could help the club was to support their bid for a new base in Witney.

He said: “50 years of waiting is enough – we are one of the biggest grassroots clubs in Oxfordshire and deserve a postcode!”

Thames Valley Police said anyone with information about the break-in should call 101 or make a report on their website, quoting reference number 43240253048.

Alternatively, members of the public can provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or via its website.