Thieves raid charity shop

Thieves have stolen prizes for a hospice's Christmas raffle. Now a volunteer is calling on them to make a New Year's resolution to stop stealing from the charity.

The volunteer, at the theft-plagued St Giles Hospice shop in Rugeley, who does not wish to be named, said that the thieves stole prizes, including a cake, for the hospice's draw.

It is the latest in a spate of thefts from the shop in Upper Brook Street.

Over the weekend of December 2 and 3, bolt cutters were used to hack through a chain which keeps the bins locked up at the back of the shop. The thieves then left clothes strewn all over the floor of the yard.The volunteer, who has worked at the shop for more than five years, said: "The money from this raffle goes to help the sick and dying every year. These gifts are donations, as is everything we sell in our shop, and are freely given to use by the good and kind people of Rugeley. So really it is these people who are being stolen from."

She added: "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, when I see all the lager cans and litter round the back of the shop as I go into work, not to mention the vomit and excreta that our poor managers have to deal with, but I am.

"I am absolutely saddened and shocked that people can behave like this, especially at Christmas. Whoever these people are I can only beg you to make New Year resolutions for 2007 that do not include stealing from the sick and dying and hinder the work done to help our local hospice."

Lynwen Truesdale, general manager of St Giles Hospice shops, said staff and volunteers were "doubly sad" that the theft had happened in the build-up to Christmas.

By Kate Hughes