CHARITY boxes for the Midlands Air Ambulance and Help For Heroes, were among items taken from a butchers on Droitwich High Street during a spate of three town centre burglaries on the same night.
The collecting tins contained about £10 in loose change. They were stolen between 5.30pm last Friday (August 14) and 7am the following day after raiders broke in by smashing the window at the side of the back door before forcibly removing a metal security bar from over the window.
When they were inside they also took a till tray containing around £10 in small loose change and a tea towel from the counter underneath the broken window.
The break-in was linked to another which happened between 1.45am and 11.20am, on the same night, at a shop on Ombersley Street.
Thieves smashed a wooden panel at the top of the property’s back door before they stole £280 in cash, tobacco and a packet of nicotine patches. The cost of the damage caused was £50.
A high class butchers on Queen Street was also targeted between 7pm and 7.20am.
Criminals smashed the window in the back door to gain entry before they stole a small safe from the office containing £300 in £5, £10 and £20 notes.
Another business on the High Street was also targeted by burglars between 5pm on August 6 and 7am the next morning – this has also been linked to the other three crimes.
It is believed the thieves got into the building through a first floor property before they walked down a disused stairwell and broke into the shop.
About £20 in tips was taken along with £20 from the till and a Gigaset cordless phone.
Insp Janet Heritage, from Droitwich Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “We would like to appeal to anyone who saw anybody looking like they were acting suspiciously in the area.”
