Football chiefs cry foul over thefts

Teams such as Hastings Rangers, Icklesham, Bexhill AAC and Battle Rangers and other clubs from the Brewers East Sussex League and the Hastings & East Sussex Sunday League have fallen foul of thieves.

Changing rooms and cars are proving to be lucrative pickings for the offenders.

East Sussex League secretary Doug Saunders said with nearly 2,000 players at risk, more action should be taken by the police. We have been told that we are a low priority and that the police do not have enough manpower to patrol the pitches, he said.

We are doing everything they can to take preventative action but what else can we do?

A spokeswoman for Senlac Police, who cover some of the pitches, confirmed that there has been 12 reported offences in the last six weeks and an arrest had been made.

She said: Areas which are hotspots for crime have to be targeted and whilst we understand the issues raised by the East Sussex League, these crimes have not been identified as a hotspot.

Hastings Borough Council has provided stronger locks for changing rooms at the Bulverhythe, but thieves still managed to break in.