Haunted Derby Gaol Trashed During Break In

On Tuesday night the historic jail in Derby was broken into and fell victim to criminal damage, mostly to the area that houses the police museum.

Derby Gaol, which is now open to the public as a museum, is said to be the most haunted building in the town and was originally built in the 1500s to house local criminals. It was replaced by a newer prison in 1756. Ironically in over 250 years of the building's history, this is the first time criminals have forced their way into the prison.

Derby Gaol, which is owned by paranormal expert and historian Richard Felix, posted the sad news about the break in on their official Facebook page yesterday.

They wrote, "unfortunately we have been broken into. There has been a considerable amount of damage to the Police Museum and the Gaol itself." They added that they are all "very shocked and saddened by this."

The raiders took money, alcohol and various other items from the historic building including the CCTV server, effectively wiping any evidence of their criminal act.

One commenter on Facebook wrote, "I can't understand why people do this. I'm fuming. I hope they get caught and punished correctly for the damage and loss they’ve caused. Let's get it shared so they get caught."

The staff at Derby Gaol are once again hoping that justice will be done and are asking the public for help, "if anyone has any information regarding this, please come forward and speak to the police."

Since 1997, Richard and his team have worked hard to restore the jail to its current condition, mirroring as closely as possible, its original state.

Speaking on a live stream a few days after the incident, Richard gave followers an update on the property. Other than restocking the bar ahead of a Past Life Regression night on Friday, Richard said the gaol is "more or less straight again," although the police museum area won't be opening for a bit.

The paranormal activity at the gaol seems to most frequently occur in June and July, and again between October and December. It ranges from doors close by themselves, the sensation of feeling sick, and discomfort in the throat or the sensation of being suffocated. One visitor claims to have seen two dead men hanging from a beam inside one of the cells.

We visited the gaol earlier this year, and although it's a fairly small location it's very interesting, atmospheric and an important part of Britain's haunted history.

The news comes just one week after vandals targeted a historic haunted property in Warwick. A stone wall at Guy's Cliffe House was dismantled during the incident and signs were ripped off the building causing damage to its outer wall.