'Disheartening, distressing and hard to understand' - Telford hospice shops count the cost after break-ins

These are just some of the ways hard-working charity shop staff have described feeling after the devastation of three Severn Hospice High Street branches being broken into this month.

Thieves smashed their way through the front door and stole cash from the safe at the shop in Wellington's Market Square on Thursday night.

It comes after a safe containing cash was stolen from the shop in Lawley last Monday, and the store in Bradford Street, Shifnal was raided on December 2. ExtraCare, the shop next door, was also targeted that night, as burglars smashed their way in and came away with tills, jewellery, keys, a safe, a charity box and money belonging to both charities and employees.

What motivates one to take from those stricken by terminal illnesses before leaving a trail of destruction, god only knows. Staff have been trying for weeks to get their heads around it.

Ross Henderson, manager of the Wellington shop, said: "It’s just so disheartening for everyone here, not just those in the shops affected. The cost of putting right the damage they’ve caused – fixing things and missing trading hours – is way more than anything they’re getting away with. It’s just infuriating.

“The shops team, which includes volunteers, work so hard to raise money and are so well supported by everyone with donations and purchases, and all of that is just taken away whenever something like this happens."

Mr Henderson is hopeful that someone may have seen something, and the culprits may be caught.

“We are there for the community when they need us and I’m hoping they can be there for us in a slightly different way now. I’m asking if they see anything suspicious happening near our shops to report it to the police and if they hear of anything that might help the police investigation to share it with them.

“Market Square is in the middle of town and the way they got in won’t have been quiet.”

Lawley store manager Gary Stephan said damages that occurred at his branch would be a costly deprivation to the families it supports.

He said: "The shop has been part of Lawley since 2014 and we rely on volunteers giving up their time, and donations from residents.

"Everyone does what they do because they value the care the hospice provides to families and communities.

"And some do so because they have a personal connection, which makes this all the more distressing."

Speaking after the Shifnal break-in, Annette Wallis, Severn Hospice shops area manager, said: "These people are not stealing from us, they're stealing from the community of Shifnal and every family we care for.

"That it's happened so near to Christmas when people are generally so much nicer to each other makes it even harder to understand."

Police have not confirmed if they believe any of the break-ins are linked. No arrests have been made and investigations are ongoing.