Staff and volunteers at Rotherham Hospice, a South Yorkshire charity supporting people with life-limiting illnesses, have been left "flabbergasted" after a break-in at one of its donation centres. A man smashed a window at the building on Rawmarsh Road to steal a donation tin, before returning around three hours later to take electrical equipment. The charity says the cost of repairing the damage far outstrips the small amount taken, and that money for repairs will have to come from funds normally reserved for patient and family care.

The first break-in occurred at about 01:00 BST on Thursday, with the man returning around three hours later. Leanne Fox, head of trading, described the damage as "astronomical" compared with the cash stolen, and said volunteers — some of whom have special needs and use the centre as a stepping stone into work — had been left feeling shocked, angry and vulnerable. The empty donation tin was later recovered nearby by a member of the public, and a fundraising page has so far raised more than £500 towards repairs. South Yorkshire Police said enquiries were ongoing and asked anyone with information to contact them on 101, quoting incident number 133 of 9 July 2026.