Shropshire Star

Where's my Astra?! Police contractors 'steal' charity car in identity cock-up

A local garage came to the food bank's rescue.

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Simon Tooth was left confused when his car disappeared in Whitchurch

A charity car that disappeared from outside a food bank wasn't stolen - but taken by police recovery agents in a case of mistaken identity.

The director of the Clifford's food bank and cafe in Whitchurch, Simon Tooth, was left stranded in the town unable to collect unwanted food from supermarkets for the food bank or even to get home.

West Mercia Police officers were organising to get the car back to Mr Tooth over the weekend.

He left the silver Vauxhall Astra close to the food bank in St Mary's Street on Saturday morning while he worked in the back of the premises.

"A friend came into the food bank and asked where the car was. It was then I realised it had disappeared," Mr Tooth explained.

He posted the fact that the food bank car had been 'stolen' on social media and was contacted by a local person who had seen it being 'dragged' onto a low loader.

"I rang the police and it then emerged that they had taken it, thinking it was a silver Astra that had been stolen from Telford and had been reported as being in St Mary's Street.

"It was a different colour silver, different registration and even had our sticker saying it was the food bank car on it - you couldn't make it up," Mr Tooth said.

He spent all Friday trying to sort the mix-up out.

"We collect unwanted fresh food from Tesco in Whitchurch to give to people through the food bank and use in our Clifford's Cafe.

"I thought I might have to collect is on foot but then seeing what had happened Robert's garage in Whitchurch loaned us a car which was brilliant."

At first it seemed that the charity would not be able to recover the car until Monday although on Friday evening officers were contacting the recovery company so that it could be returned earlier.

A spokesman for West Mercia said: "The police use a private recovery company to retrieve stolen cars. We are now in touch with Mr Tooth to return the car."