WATCH: Thief raids charity boxes and till at Tettenhall shop
Hundreds of pounds were stolen from a gift shop as a raider snatched the charity boxes and cash from the till.
CCTV footage captures the moment a man stole from the shop after smashing a window to get into the Hugs & Kisses in Tettenhall, Wolverhampton.
Owner Caroline Boydell said she feels violated after she discovered the damage on Sunday morning and estimates around £300 was stolen.
WATCH the CCTV footage:
The charity boxes were of sentimental value to Caroline.
One of them was to raise money for Marie Curie after nurses took care of her aunty Beryl Booth who died 10 years ago.
The second was dedicated to the Royal Trinity Hospice in London after her lifelong friend Fran Mulchary, aged 50, died of breast cancer last year on Christmas Day.
She said: “It just makes me sick. It is disgusting that someone would care so little. He does not care who this upsets.
“It is making me question whether I want to keep charity boxes in my store if that is what they are going to target.
“We found the one smashed open at the local church in St Michael’s.
"I have been in this shop for 15 years and nothing like this has ever happened before but there seems to be a series of incidents happening in the area.
“We have never had a problem but now people seem to be running wild. I do not feel safe that he is around. I feel violated.
“Five people work at the store and they were upset when they heard about what happened. It is harrowing.
“I have had a lot of messages of support on Facebook and a lot of people are very angry for me. I just want justice.”
A police spokeswoman said: “Police are investigating after a burglary at a shop on Upper Green, Tettenhall, which happened at around 1.10am on Sunday 29 July.
“A front window was broken and a charity box was stolen along with cash from a till.
“Anyone with information is asked to call West Midlands Police on 101, giving crime reference number 20WV/172542M/18.”
