Thieves smash their way into charity shop and steal just 40p

Thieves who broke into a Greater Manchester charity shop and caused thousands of pounds of damage for just 40p have been branded the "lowest of the low" by the manager.

The Sue Ryder shop on Heaton Moor in Stockport was targeted in a raid on the evening of 17 November. The front door was damaged beyond repair.

Once inside, all the thieves took away with them was 40p which was in the donation box next to the till.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed the burglary took place between 6pm on 17 November and the next morning an investigation had been launched. Enquiries are ongoing and the officers will be speaking with the victim to see if there is any CCTV in the area.

Store manager Sophie Buc said it will now cost thousands of pounds to replace the damaged door while praising the local community who helped get the shop back up and running.

She told the Manchester Evening News: "It was literally pence, about 40p, because I'd already emptied it the night before. It's just low, it's the lowest of the low.

"It's just violated us a little bit really, the cost to get it fixed is going to take away from the people we care for."

She added: "We've got insurance so it'll go through that, people are donating extra bits of money which is always going to help. Everyone in the community has been really good. People in Heaton Moor are absolutely lovely."

Buc also condemned the thieves in an open letter published in the MEN. She wrote: "We don't know who you are, your situation or what you might be going through and how desperate you may be. But it disappoints us that you would steal from Sue Ryder Heaton Moor - a charity shop.

"Not just steal money from our collection tin, but also break down the door to gain access to our shop during the night. As a result of this damage we will now need to pay thousands of pounds out of our own pocket to replace the front of our shop.

"Patients at our hospices might not have much time left, and they, along with their families, need some support and a helping hand. In other words, the money that you stole could have helped many people live through some of the most difficult times of their lives."

The Sue Ryder charity offers support to people with life-threatening or terminal illnesses.