£20,000 Worth of Tools Stolen in Heartbreaking Christmas Break-In

'Tis the season to give, not take! Sadly, this wasn’t the case for us at Aldingbourne Country Centre, as our wood workshop was targeted by thieves just days before Christmas. The theft was discovered on Christmas Eve by our Wood Manager, Brian, who had stopped by to finish some projects before the end of the year.

Thieves gained access to the workshop through a window, stealing a grand total of 30 high-value Hilti tools, including jigsaws, combihammers, and 12 battery packs. These tools, donated by Hilti as part of their charitable programme, were stamped with "Donated by Hilti GB" making them easily identifiable.
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Commercial & Retail Manager Jason shared, "The important analogy is that like the wood we collect—something written off or disposed of—it is transformed in our hands into something of value. The people we support are exactly the same. We give individuals who might otherwise be written off a sense of purpose and value."

This loss has had a significant impact on our plans to create and sell bespoke wood products. While the police investigation is ongoing (crime reference number: 47240250193), we’re doing everything we can to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again.

Despite this setback, we’ve been overwhelmed by the kindness of our community. Following media coverage, including a visit from ITV News, a local gentleman came forward this morning with a £1,000 donation and new tools for Brian and the team. Fontwell Racecourse has also pledged its support, and we are truly grateful to everyone who has reached out.

During an interview with ITV, Stephen, one of the people we support, summed up how we’re all feeling, "Whoever has done this should be arrested for it."

Your kindness means the world to us, and it’s helping us turn this difficult situation into something hopeful. If you’d like to help us rebuild and continue empowering lives, please consider donating at aldingbournetrust.org/donate

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Lizzie Senn at [email protected]