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charity shop robbed
The Hospice bookshop where Richard and I work has a sister shop on Trinity st, also in Dorchester. This shop sells clothing and bric a brac and all the usual stuff you find in charity shops. This shop is much bigger than the book shop and takes a lot more money.
During the last week, they've been losing items from the back room and from lockers: valuable items, jewellery, etc. No means of entry was seen, so staff were falling under suspicion.
Last night, the thieves struck again. This time, they knew exactly what they were after. They stole the till, the PAT tester (charity shops cannot sell electrical items unless they have passed a Portable Appliance Test), removed the safe, and even took the credit card reader.
In short, they not only stole valuable items from the shop (these will cost a lot to replace), plus all the cash taken on Friday, but they also have greatly reduced the shop's ability to raise money to care for the dying.
Right now, they are struggling with a manual till that can' t record details of gift aid when donated items are sold; they can't take credit card payments; they can't test donated electrical goods, and staff morale is in the pits.
About the only good thing is that they've finally discovered how the burglars were entering the building, which at least means the staff are no longer suspects.
I really haven't got words to describe how I feel about this.
I've occasionally come across people who feel it is somehow okay to steal from charity shops as the items were given to the shop for free (the fact that the donors often choose to give items they know to be valuable because they want to help a specific charity is clearly irrelevant to them), but surely even those people would never take items essential to the running of the shop?
What kind of a person would steal the till from a charity shop?
During the last week, they've been losing items from the back room and from lockers: valuable items, jewellery, etc. No means of entry was seen, so staff were falling under suspicion.
Last night, the thieves struck again. This time, they knew exactly what they were after. They stole the till, the PAT tester (charity shops cannot sell electrical items unless they have passed a Portable Appliance Test), removed the safe, and even took the credit card reader.
In short, they not only stole valuable items from the shop (these will cost a lot to replace), plus all the cash taken on Friday, but they also have greatly reduced the shop's ability to raise money to care for the dying.
Right now, they are struggling with a manual till that can' t record details of gift aid when donated items are sold; they can't take credit card payments; they can't test donated electrical goods, and staff morale is in the pits.
About the only good thing is that they've finally discovered how the burglars were entering the building, which at least means the staff are no longer suspects.
I really haven't got words to describe how I feel about this.
I've occasionally come across people who feel it is somehow okay to steal from charity shops as the items were given to the shop for free (the fact that the donors often choose to give items they know to be valuable because they want to help a specific charity is clearly irrelevant to them), but surely even those people would never take items essential to the running of the shop?
What kind of a person would steal the till from a charity shop?
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Scum.
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At least the staff are released from being suspects, which must have been burdensome to them.
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I don't really believe in 'ethical crooks' so I'm not surprised that emboldened by quick, portable raids, the thief/thieves took things that crippled the shop. If anything, he/they probably thought to themselves 'serves the shop right for not sealing up the access, if you're vulnerable that makes me superior to you'.
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If I was running that shop I'd put up a big sign in the window explaining the situation and, just maybe, shaming those responsible (or anyone who knows them) into at least returning the stuff the shop needs to operate properly.
Hell, it might even increase donations!