THIEVES have sparked anger after stealing bags of donations left outside charity shops in Clitheroe.

The thefts have prompted shop bosses to urge people not to leave items on the doorstep to prevent further incidents.

Sheila Garside, 60, who is manager at Age Concern, said donations were regularly being taken the steps in front of the shop in the Moor Lane.

She said: “There was a white van parked outside the shop and a lady was just putting the bags into the van. My friend approached her and asked her what she was doing and only then did she put it back.

“We’ve also seen a man in a red BMW who regularly pulls up and just fills his boot up with donations.”

Mrs Garside stated that she had seen a dramatic increase in thefts in recent months.

She added: “We know it goes on but it seems to be happening more frequently which is very distressing because we rely solely on donations.

“It's a sign of the times and we understand people everywhere are stretched, but it is really low to steal from a charity shop.

”All the money we make stays in Lancashire and helps with day care centres and lunch clubs so the thieves aren't just taking from a shop, they're taking from the elderly people of Clitheroe and Ribble Valley."

Sheila urged anyone thinking of making a donation to call the shop between 9.30am and 4.30pm to arrange a pick up.

Meanwhile, the Cancer Research UK shop in Castle Street has also been targeted.

Pat Kenyon, who runs the shop, said: “We do suspect that donations are stolen as people leave bags outside the shop after five and when we come in, in the morning they have been rifled through.

“We do encourage people to drop off their donations during shop opening hours as it is extremely frustrating when things get stolen.”

Police confirmed there had been reports of thefts from charity shops and as a result they had now stepped up patrols in the area.

Sergeant Conrad Tapp, from Ribble Valley Police, said: “We are investigating these thefts and we are trying to identify the specific times that they are occurring.

“We will utilise CCTV in the area and we want these thieves to know they are being watched.”