The IW Mencap Shop in High Street, Newport on the Isle of Wight. Picture by Robin Crossley.
BURGLARS have targeted an Isle of Wight charity shop for the second time this year — breaking open a safe and stealing hundreds of pounds over the weekend.
Police are investigating the break-in at Mencap in High Street, Newport, which happened sometime between 3.30pm on Saturday and 7.45am on Monday (15).
The intruders broke a window at the back of the shop to gain entry, removed a safe from the wall and stole £450 cash and a cheque book from it.
The shop manageress estimated the total loss to the shop from theft and damage was over £1,000.
In March, burglars broke in and ransacked the shop. A till containing cash was smashed open and a filing cabinet was damaged, which led to the shop losing around £1,000 in takings as a result of its closure.
The manageress, who did not wish to be named, said: "I’m totally gutted by what happened. I can’t believed it is the second time this has happened this year. My colleague, who discovered it, was devastated. It made her feel ill.
"The ones who did this are the scum of the earth. I hope their legs fall off because it is such a nasty thing to do — targeting a charity shop.
"It is going to cost a lot to put things right and the people we are trying to raise money for are the real losers in all this."
Anyone with information about people acting suspiciously in Newport High Street between 3.30pm on Saturday and 7.45am on Monday (15) can contact the police on 101.
Information can also be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Reporter: jonm@iwcpmail.co.uk