Desperate staff tell thieves: 'leave us alone!"

In the last few weeks, the Woodstock Bower GP surgery has had lead ripped from the roof, hanging baskets stolen and the premises broken into.

Very little of value has been taken from the centre on Kimberworth Road, Rotherham, but the cost of the damage is now running into several thousands of pounds.

“We’ve had a spate of crime but we don’t have anything worth stealing,” said practice manager Bernadette Conway.

“We need to be concerned with people’s health and welfare, not having to keep tackling these issues.

“We want to send out a message to thieves to keep away.”

The spate of crime started when raiders got on to the roof to try and steal lead.

Although only about £30 worth of lead was taken, it cost thousands of pounds to repair the roof.

A week later, thieves returned for a second attempt, only to find the lead had been replaced by other materials, while soon afterwards two hanging baskets “walked” from outside the surgery.

And last week the centre was broken into, although nothing was stolen.

Ms Conway said: “For the sake of stealing such a little bit of lead it has costs us thousands of pounds to repair.

“We don’t have any money or drugs on the premises and we don’t have any equipment of value.

“When the thieves broke in they found that each individual door is locked so they couldn’t get any further.

“But the windows were broken and we’ve had to replace them.

“It has all been very upsetting for everyone working here.

“When the roof was attacked we suggested to the police they look at our security cameras, but we’ve not heard anything back yet.

“We haven’t replaced the hanging baskets because we think they will only get stolen.

Last year we had baskets up all year and they were never touched.

“All we want to say is, there’s nothing here of any value and we are getting really fed up with it all.”