Public thanked for support after Larne garden centre theft

Thieves made off with a number of items from the Naggy Burn Garden Centre, based at AEL on Larne's Pound Street, in the early hours of Saturday morning.

AEL, formerly known as Access Employment Limited, provides people aged 16 to 60 years who have a learning disability, Asperger’s, autism or other disadvantage with training and employment opportunities.

The organisation celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2018 when it was named as Northern Ireland Social Enterprise of the Year.

A post on AEL's Facebook page at the weekend read: "Things are really tough for us right now and we are doing our very best to keep things going - who steals from their own community charity?

"What [they] stole will probably wipes out our profits from the last three weeks. We really don’t need this right now."

The news triggered a flood of the support for the local business, with a follow-up post from AEL thanking the community for their response.

"AEL has been overwhelmed by the encouraging remarks and very generous offers of help after our break-in at the Naggy Burn Garden Centre - truly a fantastic response from the good people of Larne. The matter is now with the police," the statement read.

"Despite many kind offers of donations, we want to stick with our ethos of helping others by running social enterprise businesses. Business has been really tough lately and it was a big decision for AEL to open the Naggy Burn Garden Centre. Our hope is that in the not to distant future it will provide loads of opportunities for our trainees.

"The best thing you can all do to help us is to support our new venture by visiting and if you see something you like, buy it. We have new stock arriving this week and over the next two weeks."

In a statement, a PSNI spokesperson said: "Police are investigating the report of a theft at business premises in the Pound Street area of Larne on Saturday, August 8.

"It was reported that entry was gained to the premises sometime between 12am and 12.15am and a number of items were stolen.

"Anyone who witnessed this incident or anyone with any information is encouraged to contact police on 101 quoting reference 1128 08/08/2020.

"You can also submit a report online using our non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/

"Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.”