A GROUP providing specialist horse riding training for those with disabilities has become a target for thieves - with two people smashing in through its roof on Tuesday to steal equipment.

Barnsley Riding for the Disabled Association in Oakwell is used to these kinds of break-ins, with robbers using a similar strategy years ago to take riding equipment from business.

This time, the two thieves made off with a strimmer, horse clippers and tools, but most of the costs came from the damage done to the roof - which was temporarily patched up with tarp overnight to stop the rain getting in.

Centre manager Catherine Mitchell told the Chronicle: “We had a roofer come out who offered to patch up the roof free of change.

“Now we’re looking for a plasterer to help fix up the office.

“We’ve just decorated a couple of weeks back, so of course it happened now and we’ve had rain come through onto the floor.

“The same thing happened a few weeks ago - they got onto the roof and because it’s an old building they can smash the slate tiles and come through.”

Security cameras on the premises did manage to capture the break-in, but it isn’t possible to make out either of their faces.

Once the building’s alarm was triggered in the middle of the night, Catherine’s son rushed down to check things out.

“We think they ran because they heard the alarm,” Catherine added.

“My son came down to look and it seems like they dropped the heavier items while they were trying to get away.

“He found the strimmer and the horse clippers, which are both quite heavy so you can’t really run with them.

“They’d been hidden behind some trees, so we think they planned on coming back to take them later - they did get away with a lot of tools though.”

Catherine and the team at the stable have now set up a Go Fund Me page to raise money for new security systems, and avoid this happening again.

A spokesperson from South Yorkshire Police said: “We responded to reports of a break-in at an address on Pontefract Road, Barnsley.

“Officers attended and it was reported that two unknown men broke into a business premises and stole various items.

“They are also alleged to have gained access to an outside container by breaking the lock.

“An investigation has been launched and enquiries are ongoing.

“Anyone with information can get in touch by calling 101 and quoting incident number 958 of July 8, 2024.”