Recession: Thieves Turn To Charity Donations

A worrying new trend has emerged in recession stricken Northern Ireland. Thieves have turned to robbing banks of a different kind.

From BBC News

Charity Oxfam has reported a vast increase in thefts and break-ins to their second hand clothing donation banks, where people can donate old unwanted clothing to the charity. Oxfam in Northern Ireland say over the last 18 months, raids on the charity donation banks have increased to new highs, with thieves going to extreme and sometimes dangerous lengths to steal second hand items.

Some reports and CCTV footage show men breaking into the banks with laser cutters. Others have been seen to use small children to enter the donation banks, which its claimed could be very dangerous if not fatal. The increase of thefts of these charity donations is likely a result of the recession, which has not only made people more strapped for cash, but has seen the value of second hand clothing reach an all time high.

The charity have nearly 50 clothing banks across Northern Ireland, and have been forced to make collections of the donations more often to prevent more being stolen. This has caused them a much greater cost as they require more man power for more frequent collections.

We’ve already seen a 20% fall in stock donations since last year due to the recession, and we need every bit of stock at the moment. The money raised goes towards the fight against heart disease, Northern Ireland’s biggest killer and this is really affecting our ability to do that.

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