The borough’s only rugby club has been forced to launch a fundraising drive after a burglar broke into their premises and stole £2,000.
The crook escaped with the cash after targeting Kilburn Cosmos’ clubhouse which is located inside Gladstone Park in Dollis Hill.
Around £900 was petty cash from the club’s bar takings while the rest was money raised to buy the team a ‘scrum machine’ as a reward for being promoted.
The club have started a crowd fundraising mission to raise the £3,000 need to buy the machine which players use for training.
James Birrell, club chairman, said: “Rugby is an inclusive sport, and we as a club have been welcoming men, women and children to play and train with us for the last twenty years.
“We want to be able to continue to support local players to keep fit and improve their skills, but this is a massive loss for us and will be difficult to recoup the funds.”
CCTV footage captured by the club shows the crook breaking into the club and causing substantial damage to the building’s roof.
The five-minute clip has been uploaded on YouTube.
The thirsty thief also attempted to steal alcohol from the premises but after finding it too heavy to carry he helped himself to a bottle of Lucozade before leaving it behind – with vital DNA evidence.
The club hopes the thief, which they have nicknamed the ‘Lucozade Looter’, will be traced through fingerprints left at the scene and the bottle he drank from.
Paul Quinn, said: “We were broken into about seven or eight years but that was just kids who sprayed graffiti.
“We are devastated by this.”
The club’s annual Brownes Cup Day will also be a fundraising event with rugby games to watch, a barbecue, bake sale and raffles with prizes donated from local businesses.
It takes place at the club on September 3 with festivities kicking off at 11am on the main pitch in Gladstone Park where Austral and Kendal Roads meet.
All are welcome.
Mr Birell added: “We’re also on the lookout for sponsors for the club to ensure we’re around for the long-term, and to partner with local businesses.
“We’re really hoping the community can rally around us as they have done for years”.
To make a donation visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/KilburnCosmos.
Local businesses interested in sponsorship opportunities can contact info@kilburncosmos.co.uk.
A police spokeswoman told the Times they were investigating the burglary which took part between August 7 and 8.
Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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