Store owner’s sadness as thief swipes charity collection box
A DERBY shop owner has been left disgusted by the thief who stole the charity donation box from his store
Jack Gill, co-owner of Gills Superstore in Cavendish, said he could not believe “how low society has sunk”.
The 55-year-old described the “horrible” incident which unfolded on the morning of Monday, February 10. Mr Gill said: “It was 9.30am, just gone, a customer came in with a £10 note asking for some change, I said I didn’t have any. When my back was turned, he slyly picked up the charity box and walked off with it.”
Alone in the shop at the time, Mr Gill said he didn’t realise the box was gone until his brother, a co-owner, of the shop returned to work.
When his brother came back and asked where the box was gone, the pair made a search of the store.
It was only when the brothers looked back at the CCTV footage that they saw the thief making off with the charity money.
Mr Gill said: “It was horrible, people have given us money to give to charity and he has just walked off with it. It’s ridiculous. It only had £4 or £5 in it but that’s not the point, it’s just a despicable thing to do, they’ve taken money off of somebody.”
Money put in the box is normally divided between charities including St John Ambulance, a children’s asthma charity and a charity working with people in poverty overseas.
During his 35 years of working at the grocery store, Mr Gill said he had never seen “anything like it”.
He said: “I just couldn’t believe that society could go so low, for somebody to do something like that. Stealing from a charity that people have donated to, it makes me feel a bit sad.”
A police spokesperson said: “A charity box was stolen from a store on Wallbrook Road, Derby, at around 9.30am on Monday 10, February. It was reported that a man entered the store and distracted the shop assistant before walking out with the box. The man is described as 5ft 5ins tall and of slim build with short dark hair.
“Anyone who has any information should contact Derbyshire Constabulary quoting the reference 20*080262.” footage which appears to show a