Rotherham Hospice has been targeted by intruders for the second time in a week, with masked men breaching temporary fencing around the site on Broom Road at about 17:00 on Wednesday.
A neighbour spotted the two men and shouted at them, causing them to flee the grounds. Nothing was taken, but the hospice said it believed the intruders were looking for tools and other items to steal.
The temporary fencing had only been erected last month following damage to the hospice's permanent site boundary. This latest incident follows a similar break-in attempt at the end of the previous week.
Charity shops also targeted
Beyond the break-in attempts at the main hospice site, the organisation's nearby charity shop and donation centre have been targeted by thieves on separate occasions in recent weeks.
Mat Cottle-Shaw, the hospice's chief executive, said: "It's really distressing for the staff and it's also really distressing for our patients. Their safety is absolutely paramount and ultimately we are here for the people of Rotherham. It's really disappointing to think that it's members of our community that are targeting us in this way, stealing from our retail stores and breaking and entering the hospice grounds."
Security appeal and expansion plans
The incidents have prompted an immediate fundraising appeal for £15,000 to urgently improve security at the site. The hospice has also brought forward a longer-term appeal for £750,000 to finance a dedicated bereavement centre on an adjacent property, alongside therapeutic woodland and better access for patients' families.
Cottle-Shaw said the expansion would provide counselling in a natural setting away from the main hospice building and allow the organisation to expand its car park, which he described as "so tight" currently.
South Yorkshire Police is investigating the criminal damage and has appealed for anyone with information to get in touch.