Cash and tips stolen from Oswaldtwistle dog grooming centre (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Cash and tips stolen from Oswaldtwistle dog grooming centre

1:28pm Thursday 6th December 2012 in Hyndburn

CHARITY money and staff tips were stolen when thieves broke into an Oswaldtwistle dog grooming centre.

The burglars broke a window at Pampered Pets, in Union Road, taking hundreds of pounds of staff tips and around £10 from a collection tin for the PDSA.

Suzzan Gilbert, who set up the business seven years ago, said that around £800 had been taken and that she was ‘absolutely gutted’ when she discovered the theft.

The 48-year-old said: “It is lower than low. They did not need to take the money from the charity box, there was enough in the other tin.

“That money would have gone straight to the charity, which is very important to us.”

Pampered Pets employs three staff who would have shared the contents of the tips box as a Christmas bonus.

Mrs Gilbert said: “I just want to make other businesses aware of what has happened.

“It is not really about the money, the staff have all worked so hard and they were all really upset when I told them.”

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: “The burglary happened between 1pm on December 1 and 9.30am on December 2.

“Somebody has approached the rear of the business and smashed the windows, gaining access to the downstairs business premises.

“An investigation is now under way.”

Anybody with information is asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.