A food distribution charity has been left "devastated" after a break-in at its warehouse resulted in the loss of 16 tonnes of perishable food, enough to provide 7,000 meals.
Thieves broke into the Middlesbrough base of FareShare North East on Tuesday, cutting the power to the organization's walk-in freezer and chiller units. This action led to the spoilage of essential items such as milk and meat.
Natasha Flanagan, hub manager for FareShare North East in Middlesbrough, discovered the damage upon arriving for work. "Lockers were ransacked, the staff drawers in the main warehouse were ransacked, and then I've seen the chiller doors were left open and the freezer door which has caused significant damage to food," she stated. "Honestly it's heartbreaking and we do really good things here."
FareShare North East redistributes donated food from supermarkets to over 200 community groups, including food banks, operating from warehouses in Newcastle and Middlesbrough. The charity established its presence in Middlesbrough in 2023 and relocated to its current Skippers Lane facility approximately four months prior to the incident.