Doncaster rugby club in ultimatum to 'stupid' thieves after £5,000 lawnmower is stolen

Players and staff at Moorends-Thorne Maurauders Rugby League Club were left fuming when the £5,250 sit on mower was stolen from the club’s ground earlier this week.

But amateur detectives at the club have pieced together details of the raid and say they have CCTV evidence of the culprits – which they will hand over to police unless the vehicle is returned.

In a lengthy social media post, which you can read in full HERE club bosses described the thieves as “the gang of stupid” and added: “We have you by the curlys - to stop us going to the police all you have to do is bring it back.”

The mower was discovered missing at around 9.30am on Wednesday, having been stolen at around 11pm the night before.

A club spokesman said: "The gate to our ground had its hinges – two big bolts - on the left-hand gate undone and the gates pulled open.

"The lock on our container had the lock chopped off.

"The groundsman then discovered the mower had been stolen and discovered the alarm had been smashed.

"Because the main gate had been locked when the groundsman attended, we checked the Park Road/Barnsley Road gate and found the lock had been chopped of and tyre marks leading off the Recreation ground.

"We then asked around that area of the village for CCTV coverage hoping to see what we expected - a getaway van or trailer.”

Revealing that the trio weren’t wearing face coverings, club bosses say the mower was taken from the ground to a house in High Hazel Road.

The statement added: “A passing pedestrian has been in touch and told us they – three of the gang of stupid - were trying to load the mower into a white van but failed, we think because of the noise they were making)

"Later, a driver in a passing car saw and named three of the gang of stupid loading our orange ride on mower into the back of a white van using ramps.

"Now then gang of stupid, now you can see the information we hold, you can ask yourself are we telling the truth – you now know that we have you by the curlys to stop us going to the police all you have to do is bring it back.”