Thieves steal Poppy Appeal box from Lidl suppermarket in Willerby
THIEVES who stole a Poppy Appeal collection box have been described as "lower than low".
The collection box, which was taken from Lidl in Willerby, is thought to have contained up to £100 in donations for war veterans.
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Upset: Manager Lisa Brown, left, and Rebecca Moodey at the Lidl store in Willerby
PC Andy White, of the Willerby and Kirk Ella neighbourhood policing team, said: "It is terrible to steal from charity at any time of the year but it is lower than low to do this.
"We would really like to find the person who is responsible for this theft."
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Clive Learmonth, a volunteer for the Royal British Legion, set up the supermarket display ahead of this year's appeal.
The collection box had been in the store for just a day when it was stolen on November 5.
Mr Learmonth said: "I went to Lidl to empty the box and it had disappeared. I couldn't believe it.
"It is disgusting. We are a charity looking after wounded and disabled servicemen and women and have the nation behind us.
"The staff at the store were really distressed when they found out what had happened. They feel terrible that they didn't stop it from happening."
Mr Learmonth helps organise and count collections from Willerby, Kirk Ella and Anlaby every year. Last year, almost £30,000 was raised between the villages – a target volunteers were hoping to surpass this year.
"There might not have been much in the box, but this is a blow," said Mr Learmonth.
"These small villages often raise one of the highest amounts in the area, for a great charity. We have always done really well from that Lidl store.
"The legion is a wonderful charity and one I am proud to be part of.
"We would really like anyone who knows anything about what happened to get in touch with the police."
The box was unmanned as part of a display in the store, which Mr Learmonth set up on November 4.
After the theft was discovered, the area manager for Lidl donated £30 to the appeal.
Officers have checked CCTV from inside the Great Gutter Lane shop but have been unable to find the theft on camera.
PC White said: "Without CCTV, we are really struggling, so we want anyone with information about this to come forward.
"It could be someone who saw the theft, or witnessed anything suspicious in the store. Perhaps they have heard the person who stole the box talking about it.
"Whatever it is, it could help us find whoever has done this."
Police believe the box could have been stolen between 6.30pm on November 4 and 5pm on November 5.
A spokesman for Lidl said: "We were extremely disappointed the Poppy Appeal collection box was stolen. We have donated £30 to the appeal to cover any donations made by our customers and staff."
Anyone with information about the theft should call police on 01482 307213, quoting reference number 1940152.
Comments
by Strangley
Wednesday, November 14 2012, 1:14AM
“@Sezby
Looks like Phil might have been reading the big Mail, which has CCTV of a pair of tea leaves of "Eastern European Appearance" doing a runner with a poppy box.”
by Strangley
Wednesday, November 14 2012, 1:07AM
“@Arthurhunt
Got to agree that these people are vermin, but how do "Christian values" come into this? Has there never been a case of a priest with his hand in the collection box, or worse still, down a little boy's trousers?
You don't need religion to lead an honest lifestyle”
by ArthurHunt
Tuesday, November 13 2012, 8:04PM
“Just shows you how low this society has sunk, all thanks to trendy teachers, liberal lefties, do-gooders and the other academic vermin who have infested the 'system' allowed scum to have 'rights', and ridiculed good manners, serving your country, putting the other person first and the other traditional Christian values we once held dear and served us well, but no doubt some sneering establishment figure will call these values 'right-wing' or other derogatory term to put down decency and allow society to slide further into hell.”
by noseyparker87
Tuesday, November 13 2012, 7:04PM
“Absolute scum bags...
Also HDM it is so hard to take what you print seriously when you accompany them with hilarious photo like the one in this article!”
by winegumdaze
Tuesday, November 13 2012, 5:47PM
“Censored,,Spot on the world a different place,,These kids dont remember what happened last week never mind 60 odd year ago. Lets not forget what the M.Ps stole in expences,,Thats how one Frank Cook M P for stockton was caught out, He put £5 on the collection plate in church.....acting the big shot......then claimed it back in expences...he passed away last year and when the collection place came round everybody put a fiver on attached to a piece of elasticzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzback in pocket speed of sound.......collected 200 old poppies he would of seen the joke the greedy sod.”
by DoubleDrags
Tuesday, November 13 2012, 3:21PM
“How incredibly low can you possibly get.
Just do the world a favour and stop breathing you utter ****.”
by Mally_Hull
Tuesday, November 13 2012, 1:26PM
“And how exactly are they going to secure them? Screw them to a counter? every counter being different. The manpower and cost to do this would be ridiculous. You might as well not bother collecting. How much was raised this year? How much was stolen? What would be the nett receipt of securing single every box in the city (if shop holders would allow). There was a time when shops didn't have shutters and you could leave your bike outside a shop but now everyone seems to think everything not nailed down is fair game. No respect for property or our heroes.”
by BroughGurl
Tuesday, November 13 2012, 11:49AM
“To Mally-Hull - yes I am serious. You hear about theiving lowlifes stealing charity collection tins in HDM several times a year. I can not comprehend why any store in any area would think that a collecting tin full of money would not be an easy target for the scrouts.”
by Mally_Hull
Tuesday, November 13 2012, 11:21AM
“Brough girl are you serious. Do you think British Legion have got time and resources to fasten them all down or feel that this city has so little respect they think it necessary?”
by Sezby
Tuesday, November 13 2012, 10:57AM
“Phil, you're a scumbag yourself. And a racist one at that. Which is ironic considering the type of people the allies (including many eastern europeans) were fighting against during many of the wars over the last 100 years.
I would hazard a guess that this was more likely to have been done by a drug addict than an immigrant anyway.”