Hello. If you're one of those people who likes to do their bit for charity by popping old clothes and bric-a-brac into those charity aid bags that get popped through your letterbox, then listen up. I regularly fill these up and leave the bag outside my door late at night prior to the given collection day. And every morning it's been collected. Which leaves me feeling happy and content that I've done a little bit to help. But to my absolute horror and massive disappointment today, I realised that some scumbag neighbour has in fact been half-inching the bags. Well, last night's bag at least. I left a full bag of good quality clothes, accessories, kids' clothes etc in the bag and noticed it had been collected when I went downstairs this morning. But when I walked down the street around mid morning, I noticed a load of clothes in a pile on a neighbours' wall a few doors down, and as I got nearer, I realised they were in fact MY clothes and belongings from the charity bag! The bag had been nicked, the 'good stuff' had been taken and the unwanted items discarded on the wall and street. Not even put back in the charity bag so the aid collectors at least had something to collect. It's despicable behaviour and horrible to think that whilst some people who get the charity bags through their letterbox see it as a chance to do something good. There are others thinking, 'aha, I'll scour the doorways in the middle of the night and take the donations before the collection people arrive!' So, I'm venting this frustration just so you're aware there is sadly a charity bag thief loose around Wingfield Street/Maxted Road. Has anybody else experienced this? Maybe it's been going on for ages and I've just been oblivious to it. But now I'll think twice about donating via that method. Someone suggested alerting the police which seems a bit heavy-handed, although it is in fact theft. So if it happens again, maybe that's the best option.
