German addict steals coin tin... on Poppy Day

JUST two hours after the nation had fallen silent to mark the end of the First World War, a thief strolled into an office reception area and took a poppy collection tin.

Jorge Buyukyoaidis, 54, swiped the Royal British Legion tin of donations on November 11 – one of eight collection boxes he stole from across the City of London.

The heroin user was arrested at a Metro Bank trying to exchange £36 of coins for larger denominations, after police identified him from CCTV footage.

Yesterday, the homeless addict from Germany was jailed for ten weeks after it emerged he had been stealing charity collection boxes since his arrival in the UK.

It is not known how much money he accumulated, or if he had a criminal record in Germany. Westminster Magistrates’

‘This was a targeted theft’

Court heard he arrived in the UK three months ago, but found himself homeless after losing his bank card and passport.

He turned to theft, stealing collection boxes from shops, offices and businesses.

Buyukyoaidis was charged with eight counts of theft of collection boxes, seven belonging to the Royal British Legion, between September 13 and November 21, and one charge of attempted theft. He admitted the thefts.

Judge Richard Blake said: ‘This was a targeted theft of charity boxes, so it is an aggravated offence. You will be in custody for Christmas and you will not be preying on charity boxes.’

Bridget Irving, defending, said her client ‘intends to return to Germany to undertake a methadone programme’.