Trophy news from eastbourneherald.co.uk…
Trophies stolen from market
THIEVES ransacked offices at Hailsham’s historic livestock market and stole a safe containing trophies worth up to £10,000.
The break-in happened sometime between 5pm on March 20 and 9am on March 23 while the market was closed for the weekend.
A green cast-iron safe taken in the raid contained nine trophies, including the market’s prized solid silver Dupree Challenge Cup, valued at up to £5,000, and the Haywards Heath Memorial Trophy.
The Dupree Challenge Cup, which was made in the 1920s for the Steyning Fatstock Show, is engraved on the side.
It also has engravings of sheep and a solid silver South Downs sheep on the lid.
All the trophies originally belonged to Haywards Heath’s livestock market and were kept at Hailsham after Haywards Heath’s market closed in 1990.
They were taken away in a wheelable orange Biffa skip, which the thieves cleared out.
Chocolate bars and cans of drink were also taken from the market’s cafe.
Market secretary Sally Rogers told the Gazette, “The cafe and offices were broken into.
“They took a green cast-iron safe which had nine trophies in it.
“Some were silver-plated but a few were solid silver.
“Apparently, the silver’s not worth much at the moment, so they wouldn’t get much if they were melted down. We just obviously want the trophies back.
“The Dupree is a spectacular trophy and quite distinctive. There probably wouldn’t be another one like it.” She added, We had a skip with cardboard in it and they emptied it out to take the safe away. It was a wheelable skip and they just took it out. A few neighbours said they heard a loud noise. Someone said they saw this skip in Town Farm but it hasn’t been seen since.”
The market’s future is still up in the air, with a decision on whether Aldi can build a store on the site due in the next few weeks. The German firm was refused permission in November 2007 but appealed and a public inquiry was held in February.
An alternative site for the market, on land next to the A22 Diplocks roundabout, has been mooted as a potential replacement.
Anyone with information about the theft or who may have seen suspicious behaviour in the area is urged to contact PC Natalie Daly on 0845 60 70 999, quoting serial 280 of March 23. Alternatively, people can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Originally posted by Andrew Raeburn.