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State-of-the-art golf gear stolen in three raids by the same gang
Apr 22 2009 by Abby Alford, South Wales Echo


State-of-the-art golf gear stolen in three raids by the same gang
THIEVES have escaped with a haul of golf clubs and equipment worth £35,000 after smashing their way into two respected Cardiff clubs.

Police have launched a hunt for the golf club gang that has struck TWICE at Whitchurch and which also raided the pro shop at Creigiau.

On each occasion, the burglars – who have been caught on CCTV walking away with the merchandise – cleared the club shops of new golf clubs worth up to £300 each.

Detective Constable Chris Hathway, of Fairwater CID, has issued a warning to all golf clubs to be on the alert for the gang.

And he is urging keen golfers to alert them if they are offered any cheap equipment.

But he said the gang’s plan to sell on the branded clubs may be fatally flawed because all were stolen without the protective head coverings which are always sold with expensive drivers and woods.

“These clubs also have unique serial numbers stamped onto them,” he said.

“We think they will be quite difficult for the thieves to get rid of.”

The golf club gang’s latest raid was on the pro shop at Creigiau Golf Club on Llantwit Road, Creigiau, at around 1am on Monday, April 13.

The thieves forced open the roller shutter door using a crow bar, before smashing the glass and walking away with around 110 clubs from the Callaway, Ping and Titleist ranges – some of the drivers are worth £300 – and Sunderland-make waterproof jackets.

The goods have a total retail value of around £20,000.

The gang and the silver grey Vauxhall Vectra they escaped in were caught on Creigiau’s CCTV cameras.

DC Hathway hopes the new pictures will provide valuable clues which will lead officers to the thieves.

In the break-ins at Whitchurch Golf Club on December 14 and March 3, the gang again used a crow bar and forced open the roller shutter doors at the pro shop before smashing the glass in the door and carrying away all of the clubs in the shop.

Rhys Davies, 41, who has been Whitchurch’s professional player for five and a half years, told the Echo: “I restocked after the December break-in and then we were hit again.

“Things are tough enough at the moment without this happening.”

Mr Davies said the clubs taken were from the Titleist range and Galvin Green waterproof clothing was also stolen. The stock taken in both raids has a retail value of around £15,000.

DC Hathway added: “All three burglaries are definitely the work of the same gang and we are eager to speak to anyone who has any information about the incidents, anybody offered golf clubs on the cheap or anyone who is aware of someone trying to buy a large number of protective head covers.”

Contact Fairwater CID on 029 2052 8011 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.