Charity shop is victim of raid
Metal thieves who plundered a vacant unit in West Bromwich High Street have forced the charity shop beneath it to close for up to a week.
Thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused when the vandals struck on Friday night.
The thieves stole lead and gym equipment from the two vacant units above the YMCA shop. They also ripped out a boiler causing massive flooding which has wrecked nearly all of the shop's stock.
Store manager Julie Vaughan, said: "It looks like they have been up on the roof, got into the place and taken a boiler and lead and gym equipment. They knew what they were doing. When I came in it was just like a shower coming down through the ceiling. I couldn't believe it, we will now have to close for at least a week. Getting people to donate stuff in the credit crunch is difficult, but we've had some lovely stuff and now it's totally wrecked."
Mrs Vaughan said closing the store on Saturday alone would have cost them £500 in sales.
