Watch out, watch out! Charity Bag Thieves about!

[immyp]

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.

[Help-Ma-Boab]

How do you know it was a neighbour? Could be anybody passing at night. Troupes do go around at night looking for stuff.

[Jennys]

I have often seen discarded piles of clothing in various streets and I assume this is what has happened. People also raid the bags left outside charity shops when the shop is closed and fish stuff out of clothing banks too.

[Loz]

Frankly, most of the charity bags in your letterbox are, IMHO, dodgy anyway. Read the fine print and you'll see that the charity that has it's name plastered in big letters on the bag actually only get about ?100 for every tonne of clothes collected (i.e. 10p per kilo). Your bag probably had maybe 5kg of clothes, so your charity would have got 50p for everything you put out. The clothes themselves mostly get shipped off to be resold in other countries and those profits go nowhere near your charity.

Personally, I drop them straight into charity shops - St Christopher's a personal favourite. I know that they will resell them for a decent price and all that dosh goes back to the charity.

[DulwichFox]

Some years back.. 15 years or so.. 2 Girls regularly came into the Pubs up and down Lordship Lane.

Usually around 9pm - 10pm. They had Scope Collecting Boxes. .

The Palmerston was on their circuit.. They were very friendly and always got a good response.

They had a driver that took them around the pubs..

The Palmy had its own Scope Charity box on the bar and one lunch time I was in and 2 elderly ladies

came to take the box away and place a new one on the bar. Well it wasn't very full and I said to the ladies.

Its probably empty 'cos the girls come round most nights.

Then the ladies informed me that Scope don't send people out to collect..

They were scammers and they were rumbled.. and after being confronted soon stopped.

DulwichFox

[NewWave]

I always give direct to the charity shops.

Never ever leave things in bags outside the shops bin-divers go through them and probably sell things in car boot sales.

some charities will collect.

[Jessie]

Call TRAID - number on their website - they come and collect. Came to pick up 4 bin bags from me couple of weeks ago

[pommie]

i never leave charity bags outside my house for that simple reason that people will take or have a look. I always drop my things down to my local charity shop

[immyp]

Thanks for all your positive responses. Yes, I think you're right - it's best I just take everything direct to the charity shop. But I don't have a car, hence thinking the charity bag was a good option. But the buggy will be my Charity Chariot! And thanks Jessie for the TRAID tip. That's a great idea, especially for a big clear out. Probably moving next year so that's great to know when there will be a guaranteed huge pile of stuff. Thanks everyone!