Oxfam shop hit in £1,000 break-in

Money was stolen which would have supported overseas projects

An Oxfam shop in Penarth is counting the cost after thieves broke in and stole over £1,000 in takings and jewellery donated to the shop.

The raiders smashed their way in through the only unprotected window on the premises and a security door to get to the money.

The shop on Windsor Road will now need new keys, alarm system and grill to cover the rear window.

Shop manager Sue Johnson said even a jar of donated pennies was taken.

The break-in happened some time after the shop closed on 6 October.

She said: "The staff rang me first thing and I was here until about 2pm on Saturday. The younger girls who open up on the weekend were visibly upset by it.

"There was a whole day's takings in the safe which totalled over £1,000.

They went through the only window which doesn't have bars on it, the toilet window Sue Johnson

"We also had gold jewellery - rings, necklaces, gold watches - in here which had been donated and waiting to go off to be valued.

"They even took the penny jar which people put their odd pence in and goes to the Middle East crisis fund."

She said the thieves had avoided the front entrance, which is covered by CCTV, but had come through the back via an alleyway.

"They went through the only window which doesn't have bars on it, the toilet window.

"We couldn't open the shop for a long time because the police were fingerprinting and things. We weren't even allowed to go upstairs to the toilet.

"Saturday is one of our busier days normally."

Ms Johnson said two people on 6 October had bought one of Oxfam's "Unwrapped" packages, which directly purchase goods and services for people in developing countries, in this case shelters costing £50 each.

She added they were appealing for people who had paid by cheque on that day to cancel their cheques and also come into the shop with their names and addresses so the police could contact them if the cheques were recovered.