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Thefts set alarm bells ringing

by Sue Carr
7/ 5/2008

A COMMUNITY centre has shut the door on burglars thanks to a local security firm.

St George’s Community Centre, on Windmill Lane, Denton, hit the headlines in January after it was burgled six times in less than a year.

Now the centre, which survives solely on money made from hiring out the rooms, is celebrating after the security firm read its plight in the Advertiser and offered to fit an alarm for free.

St George’s — a meeting place for everyone from keep fit classes, cubs and brownies, to clubs for the elderly — was fighting for survival following the spate of break-ins.

For a few drinks from the bar, thieves were regularly causing up to £700 of damage which the volunteer-run centre was struggling to repair.

Happily help was at hand from Secure Care Fire and Security, on Stockport Road, Denton, who have now fitted a state-of-the-art system which normally costs around £2,500.

Manager David Masters said: "Now if someone even attempts to get into the building the alarm goes off and it dials out to let us know.

"It’s been in a couple of months now and touch wood, we haven’t had any trouble.It means a lot less hours that I’ve got to put in repairing everything and a lot more peace of mind.You don’t hear about things like this happening very often so from the whole of St George’s we’d like to say a huge thank you."

Aaron May, who runs Secure Care, added: "We read that the centre was getting broken into a lot and the simple solution was that they needed an alarm.

"We were happy to help and it’s nice to feel that we’ve put something back into the community."