Children’s playhouse stolen within hours of being donated

Police investigating after wooden playhouse donated by local family stolen from premises in Aberdeenshire.

11th May 2021

A new playhouse has been stolen from a children’s playgroup in Aberdeenshire less than 48 hours after being donated by a local family.

Police are investigating the theft of the wooden playhut from a premises on Ballater Road in Aboyne between Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

The chairperson of Aboyne Playgroup said she was devastated as the incident comes just days before the centre is due to welcome back children on May 17.

Caroline Linklater told STV News: “I am just totally shocked that somebody could pinch from the kids, especially when I think of all the effort that has gone into opening up the playgroup.

“We have never had an outdoor area before so to be able to use the hut was going to be great. But it just makes you think ‘are people going to come and take more of our things’.”

The playgroup had only just moved location after spending the last ten years at Deeside Community Centre.

Ms Linklater said a gate and fence was erected around the new playhouse but all that was left on Tuesday morning was the slide and base.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Officers in Aboyne received a report of the theft of play equipment from a premises on Ballater Road which happened sometime between 8.30pm on Monday, May 10, and 7am on Tuesday, May 11. Enquiries are ongoing.”