POTENTIALLY deadly archery equipment is in the hands of criminals after a raid on a Scout headquarters.
Eight powerful bows and 60 aluminium-tipped arrows were stolen in the break-in at Humberside Scouts headquarters, in Raywell.
Police say in the wrong hands the equipment could potentially be very dangerous.
PC Richard Eglen said: "They are a dangerous thing. They've got aluminium ends.
"If you get hit by one, it's going to cause some damage. In the wrong hands they can be dangerous.
"The equipment is quite valuable, about £1,500.
"The bows are proper sporting equipment."
The scouting headquarters in Riplingham Road, Raywell, has now been made secure after being targeted some time between Sunday and Tuesday last week.
Humberside Scouts trustee Anthony Atkinson said volunteers have been working out exactly what has been taken.
Mr Atkinson said: "We've had the equipment for some time. It's used by various scout groups and schools.
"They can either borrow the equipment or use it on site."
Humberside Scouts is the blanket organisation organising scouting in the region. It oversees the different districts.
The charity is run by volunteers who give a huge amount of their spare time to introduce youngsters to outdoor activities.
Mr Atkinson said: "It's disheartening. It's the first time something like this has happened."
As well as having potentially dangerous consequences, the theft of the bows has left the charity out of pocket.
Police, who do a lot of work with community organisations such as the Scouts, say the crime will be hard for them to bear.
PC Eglen, who works as part of Brough Neighbourhood Team, said: "The word I'd use is 'despicable'.
"It's a remote location that's there for the kids to use.
"It's not known whether it was broken into for the archery equipment or not.
"But it takes a lot of time and effort for them to provide the equipment for the kids. It must be heartbreaking."
While Humberside Scouts come to terms with the cost of the raid, police are hoping they will be able to recover the archery equipment.
PC Eglen said: "We haven't had any incidents reported with bows and arrows.
"Any information people have about the crime, we'd be interested in receiving.
"The bows and arrows will be fairly valuable, so they may try to sell them. We'd like to hear from anyone offered something like that for sale.
"The other problem is, are they going to lark around with them?"
Anyone with information about the break-in or anyone offered archery equipment for sale is asked to call Humberside Police on the non emergency number 101, quoting crime reference 1974335.
