Charity gift is stolen from a doorstep

A Kirkby woman is warning charity-minded folk not to leave unwanted clothes donations at their doorsteps for collection after hers was stolen.

Susan Samuels (55), of Millers Way, left more than 20kg worth of old clothes on her doorstep for collection on 3rd December but returned home to find they had been stolen.

The donation was authorised to be collected by a City Link courier but was intercepted and made off with .

Said Susan: “It just leaves a bitter taste in your mouth.

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“I know there are many people living in poverty but if they came and knocked on the door and said, ‘I am poor and need clothes,’ I would say, ‘take the sack.’

“But for someone to come and take it is just wrong. I would advise people not to leave donations outside because the system is not foolproof.”

The mother-of-two said she now wished she taken the clothes to a charity shop to ensure they reached their intended destination.

“We have lived here for 11 years and never had a problem,” said Susan.

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Research has suggested that up to £50 million a year is being lost to UK charities as a result of the offence and that up to 15 per cent of all used clothing donations were being stolen.

A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police confirmed the clothes had been reported stolen and the theft was currently being investigated by its officers.