Lennox Herald wrote:A PRIZED collection of replica weapons including swords, daggers and an axe have been stolen from a Renton heritage centre.
The £500 haul was stolen from the Robert the Bruce Heritage Centre at Renton station just weeks after the facility was named the best adopted station in Scotland.
Crooks broke into the centre between 5pm on Sunday and 8.30am on Monday and made off with the replicas.
The group of volunteers who run the centre, the Strathleven Artizans, have appealed for the return of the collection, which has taken them years to amass.
Duncan Thomson, chairman of the Artizans, said: “We were starting the New Year on a high after the heritage centre was named the best adopted station in Scotland. This has taken the shine off that.
“We can’t really understand why someone would want to steal the replicas – they can’t really sell them or do anything with them because they would be recognised.
“One of the swords which was taken was a claymore given to me for my 50th birthday.
“In a sense we were lucky because they didn’t really cause any damage, but it’s upsetting for the volunteers and it won’t be easy for us to get the money together to replace them.
“The police were brilliant and came out right away and there’s CCTV in the station so we’re hoping that might have captured something.”
The haul includes an axe which had been “aged” by the group with leather wrapped around its handle, a basket-handled claymore and a leather baldrick which is used to carry weapons.
Duncan added: “We’ve now beefed up security but are still hoping we get the weapons back because they mean a lot to us.”
Anyone with information on the theft should contact police on 01389 822000.
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or you can contact me here and i will get the info passed to the Strathleven lads