| This article is to warn people about thieves who steal | | | | -------------------------- |
| charity donation bags from generous givers, who | | | | LETTER THREE |
| leave them outside their homes for collection.To give | | | | I put a bag of clothes out last week and a man in |
| you an idea of the problem I have re-printed these | | | | a white van collected it. He showed an ID but it was |
| letters from my local paper. | | | | in his inside pocket, and it is easy to get a fake one. |
| LETTER ONE | | | | The van has no name on it. He didn't even say |
| THE other day I was waiting at Meriden bus stop | | | | thanks but hurried away. I wish now I had taken the |
| with about eight other people and saw the Lifeboat | | | | van registration number. He had a young man in the |
| bag for collection at a house opposite the bus stop. | | | | passenger seat who I wouldn't have thought was |
| A gentleman at the bus stop walked over picked up | | | | needed. Name and address supplied |
| the bag and brought it over to the stop sat on the | | | | ----------------------------- |
| kerb and went through the bag showing his wife or | | | | As you can see by most of the letters above, these |
| girlfriend the clothing. She stood there laughing. The | | | | thefts are very well organised. They even cynically |
| bus came and he took it with him. Everyone was | | | | use under-age children,as they know they are too |
| aghast and we all boarded amazed. The family who | | | | young to be prosecuted. It is a double tragedy |
| donated to this charity never knew their kindness did | | | | because at the time of writing this article, the brave |
| not reach its destination. It was a despicable act. A | | | | volunteers of the RNLI are busy rescuing people who |
| resident | | | | have been flooded out of their homes in England`s |
| --------------------- | | | | Cumbrian Lake District. |
| LETTER TWO | | | | |
| ON November 6 I put two bags of good quality | | | | So how can we prevent this from happening in the |
| clothing on my front porch, when a white van drove | | | | future.A good idea, is outlined in letter number two, |
| up and a young boy in a sweatshirt, with hood on his | | | | who suggested to phone the number on the bag, |
| head, came to pick up my bag. I asked him if he was | | | | and ask them to ring the bell for collecting. |
| from the Lifeboat Charity, he only said 'ha' and ran | | | | |
| off with the bags to the white van and they drove | | | | However this does not get back the money stolen |
| off. Now I will not put a charity bag in my front | | | | by these callous thieves.So I am asking that anyone |
| porch anymore. If I have clothing for charity now I | | | | reading this article should click on the RNLI link below |
| will use the number on the bag and tell them to ring | | | | and buy an item in the RNLI shop or make a small |
| my bell for collecting. Local resident | | | | donation. |