Thieves rob heating oil from creche and community centre
A NORTH Louth community centre and creche was robbed of 2,000 litres of home heating oil by heartless thieves last week.
Kilkerley Community centre was targetted by oil thieves on Thursday night last, who completely drained the tank which had only been filled weeks before Christmas.
An oil tank used by a creche attached to the centre was also emptied, a combined 2,000 litres between both tanks.
But management of the centre, which has been at the heart of the community in Kilkerley for over a decade, say they were determined it would open as normal.
'We are lucky that an oil supplier was available at short notice to put some oil in. But we certainly won't be filling the tank again,' said Bernard Mulholland, Treasurer.
He added that the centre had no choice but to keep only small quantities of oil in the tank at any time.
' The oil is bought by the people of the community really, as our fundraising comes from events held at the centre,' said Bernard.
He described the theft as 'a real blow' for the centre, who like many voluntary and community organisations have faced rising costs in recent years.
'It couldn't have happened at a worse time to be honest as we are dealing with insurance and other costs.'
The incident is being investigated by gardai, and cctv footage from the nearby Kilkerley school is being examined in an effort to identify those involved.
The theft is the single largest reported in north Louth in recent weeks, with national schools in rural areas targetted by thieves, who are finding ways of draining oil tanks that have securely locked caps.
In one incident, at Rampart N.S, 1,200 litres of oil was taken from a tank which was cut with a saw because its cap had a lock fitted.
