Man arrested following burglary of pet cremation business Roxy’s Rainbow

Cleveland Police have arrested a man on suspicion of burglary following the break in of a pet cremation service in the town centre.
By Madeleine Raine
Published 4th Apr 2024, 13:20 BST
Updated 4th Apr 2024, 13:27 BST
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Officers investigating a burglary at Roxy’s Rainbow, in Greatham Street, Hartlepool, on the evening of Sunday, March 31, have arrested a 38-year-old man on suspicion of burglary.

Roxy’s Rainbow provides a personalised pet cremation service to a range of animals across the town, and the donations to their Pot of Gold help support families struggling to pay for certain cremation services.

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More than £600 had been raised by customers Rachael and Phil Gair in February for Roxy’s Rainbow, and had been donated just days before the burglary.

Darren Bates and his partner Pamela, and their dog Olive, set up Roxy's Rainbow in 2021 and have recently been burgled.Darren Bates and his partner Pamela, and their dog Olive, set up Roxy's Rainbow in 2021 and have recently been burgled.
Darren Bates and his partner Pamela, and their dog Olive, set up Roxy's Rainbow in 2021 and have recently been burgled.

Darren set the business up in 2021 in memory of his family black Labrador Roxy after she died from a tumour on January 31, 2020, and runs it alongside his partner, Pamela.

Cleveland Police currently have the man in police custody awaiting questioning.