Heartless thieves swipe charity bags

Linda Watson of Barrhill Court had left the bags of second hand clothing on the doorstep of 
her house at Barrhill Court last Wednesday evening.

When she got up early the next day, they had been pinched - before a driver from the British Heart Foundation could collect them.

Linda said this was the 
second time robbers had struck within a fortnight.

She told the Herald: “I spoke to a charity driver who told me he was to pick up about 10 to 15 bags and they were all gone. It’s just not fair - the charity do a free uplift.

Before, I had bags for Shelter stolen, now it’s the British Heart Foundation who have lost out.

She added: “I will never put out bags for charity again and I would like to warn other people about this.

“In future, I will take them straight to the charity shops.”

Manager 
Donna O’Donnell at the British Heart Foundation charity shop in Kirkintilloch said the problem of charity bags being stolen 
outside people’s homes was widespread.

She said: “It’s horrible. My driver was out at 8am so the thieves must have been up very early.

“It is a real loss to us as sometimes we are given some really lovely stuff for the shop which all goes to heart foundation funds.”

Donna added it was possible for concerned people to arrange a specific time to uplift items.

She said: “This isn’t not always possible as people work but if they call the shop we can arrange a free uplift at an organised time so they do not have to put the bags outside their house.”

People can contact Donna at the British Heart Foundation shop on 0141 775 3322.

A police spokesman at Kirkintilloch said: “We have not had any reports of the theft of charity bags from this area.

“Our advice to people is to contact us to make police aware this is happening and we can then take action.

“Some people may think it’s just stuff they are discarding and don’t bother to tell us about it but this is theft.

“We would warn people to be extra vigilant and report anything suspicious.”