Police probing theft of cash raised for cancer boy release CCTV images

Police investigating the theft of charity cash raised to help a 21-month-old cancer patient have issued CCTV images of two suspects.

Nottinghamshire Police said a considerable amount of money collected to help Dawson Willcock was taken during a break-in at a play centre in Sutton-in-Ashfield on Thursday.

Cash was stolen from a till and two charity collection boxes at the Jimmy Beans Children's Play and Party Centre on Coxmoor Road between 2am and 2.35am.

Dawson's parents are hoping to raise £500,000 for treatment in the United States after he was diagnosed in January, aged just 15 months, with hepatoblastoma, a malignant liver cancer.

Police believe the thieves were white males, aged 16 to 22, of slim build and 5ft 8ins to 5ft 10ins.

They were wearing dark clothing and face coverings, with one also wearing a dark baseball cap.

Sergeant Geoff Brown, the officer in the case, said: "Stealing is a despicable crime but to steal from a charity is utterly heartless. There was a considerable amount of money in the collection boxes.

"We are determined to trace the persons responsible and are urging anybody with any information to report it to us as soon as possible."

Anyone with any information about the burglary is asked to call Nottinghamshire Police on 101.

A JustGiving appeal to help Dawson, called A Dollar for Dawson, has so far raised £92,000 from more than 6,000 supporters.