'I hope charity shop thief gets cancer'

12:27pm Wednesday 14th May 2008

CHARITY shop staff have said they hope a heartless thief who stole from their till gets cancer.

The thief brazenly opened the till at the Cancer Research UK shop in Havelock Street while staff were distracted last Tuesday and made off with £190.

Shop treasurer Linda Howe said: "I know it sounds mean, but I hope he gets some form of cancer and needs our help."

Linda, who was in charge at the time of the theft, said staff believed the thief had been staking out the shop, because he knew exactly how to operate the till.

"He just walked in reached over and took £190 out," she said.

"It is absolutely heartless. "And the police said it is not the only time this has happened as a charity shop in Old Town was done the same way.

"As far as I can gather someone was watching the place.

"He knew exactly where to get to the button under the till.

"I was upstairs in the office, but it was really scary for Margo who was in the shop at the time.

"We all give up our time voluntarily and you don't expect this to happen.

"There was a customer that recognised him too, but she didn't want to make a statement because she thought he lived near her and was frightened of what he might do."

She added: "It is particularly bad that it should happen in a place like this.

"I have worked here for 11 years and this is the first time this has ever happened and it is so shocking.

"We have had some shoplifting but to take money out of the till is particularly awful."

Police spokesman Martin Dunscombe said officers were called to the shop just after 2.30pm on May 6.

"Someone was seen leaving the premises with cash in his hands which had been stolen from the property," he said.

"An amount of money was taken from the till.

"It looks like he grabbed the money out of the till, but it is not yet known how he got into it.

"It was a case of grab and run and no violence or force was used."

The suspect was 5ft 6ins and wearing a grey baseball cap.

Anyone who thinks they recognise the description or knows who was responsible for the theft should contact Swindon police on 0845 408 7000 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

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