Charity's outrage at collection bag thieves who 'steal from sick'

The British Heart Foundation is the latest organisation in Edinburgh to discover sacks intended for it had been stolen.

The most recent incident took place in Shandon when householders reported their bags missing when charity representatives turned up to collect them.

BHF Scotland shops area manager Pauline Davie said there was no difference between fraudulently collecting donations and outright stealing. "There have been a number of reports of bogus collectors operating in this area, either asking householders to donate clothing or taking stock bags which have been left out for collection," she said.

"These collectors are working for commercial gain, with none of the proceeds going to charity.

"All profits raised from goods donated to BHF Scotland shops go directly to fighting heart disease, which remains Scotland's biggest killer.

"Household appeals are a vital source of income for our shops. Stealing bags that have been left out for our charity is akin to robbing people with heart conditions of a better quality of life."

Her comments come after a van driver was spotted stealing bags from the doorsteps of Musselburgh residents who had left them out for Capability Scotland.

It is an expensive problem for charity shops, with some saying a bag full of second-hand clothes can be worth around 50.

The BHF has urged residents to be vigilant, saying staff are easily spotted because every van has a logo on the side and each volunteer carries an identity badge.

A police spokesman said: "Stealing goods that are intended for charity is a despicable act, and we would urge charitable organisations or members of the public who fall victim to such crimes to report the matter to police.

"At the same time, we would advise people who plan to leave charity bags for collection outside their home addresses to do so as close to the time of collection as possible, to lessen the chance of the goods being stolen."