How low can thieves go?

7:24am Friday 20th June 2008

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SEPARATE, despicable thefts have caused heartbreak and sorrow this week.

The first theft involves taxi driver Bill MacLeod.

As former soldiers prepare for Veterans Day on Sunday a burglar has stolen cash partly raised by him to help war heroes.

Mr MacLeod, himself a former soldier, has vowed to carry on with his 30,000-mile, charity expedition around Africa despite thieves making off with £500 raised for the trip, from his home in Launcelot Close, Andover.

He is aiming to complete a drive through 32 African nations in 2010, delivering books and educational materials to schools along the way.

But last week over £900 was taken in a midnight burglary - £500 of which he had raised for the trip by selling wristbands.

He said: "For this money to be stolen right at the start is a nightmare, but we're not going to let it stop us.

"We have to raise a lot of money just to go on the trip, and we have time to recover that."

He added: "I just think it's terrible enough someone could do this in the first place, but the fact it was charity money makes it even worse."

The trip, which Mr MacLeod will undertake with several other ex-servicemen as well as two soldiers injured in Afghanistan, will also raise money for Help for Heroes.

Meanwhile in another despicable act, St Mary's Church in Andover has been attacked for the second time in a month with thieves ripping more than £4,000 worth of lead from the church centre.

Earlier this month vandals desecrated 15 gravestones, pushing them over and daubing graffiti on them.

Callous thieves also struck at St Mary's Church Vernham Dean when an ornamental golden retriever puppy from a grave was taken.

It had only recently been placed there by Miss Tracy Ryder, whose uncle died after a short illness and was buried at the church on 7 May.