Seagazer Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I put a bag of clothes out last week for Barnado (sp?). Later that day I noticed the collection Van going down the road but it did not stop. I thought he was probably just double checking that he'd collected everything. I mentioned this to my OH and he said that he'd noticed an estate car pull up and a man get out and collect our bag. I thought this was strange but perhaps the van was just double checking. It bugged me so I sent an email to the charity and they've just sent me a reply stating that they only use the charity van so my bag has been stolen. I'm so fuming I'd had a really good clear out and there were even some new (well I've had them a couple of years but not worn) blouses in there with the ticket things in. Grr! What is it with people nowadays? Gosh I hope that Karma gets him at some point. I'll have to revert back to taking things to the shops myself I think. Sorry for rant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 It does really make you wonder! I've heard of that happening locally here, but had kind of hoped it was just a rumour and not actually true... Note made, Don't leave bags out, take them to the charity shop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I've heard of it happening around here too. I really don't know what the world is coming to. I said to DS a couple of days ago I wish I could just be transported back to the 1970s or 1980s when the world just seemed a much nicer place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Ditto, Joojoo. Mum's said it's happened where she is too. It's very sad that there are so many selfish people in the world who can only think of themselves. I like to think of things I put in a charity bag going to help other people - not for other people to help themselves! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I volunteer at my local Cancer Research shop and we had to stop doing bag drops and collections because people were stealing them before the van came to collect them. Now we just have to rely on people dropping donations in, however its a quiet time at the moment. My manger was at the end of her tether last week as she had got hardly any donations and a lot of it wasn't in a saleable condition. She then found a bag full of vintage chinese clothing and as we have a vintage section it was perfect! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I might be wrong but I wouldn't be surprised if the people who are doing this don't end up putting them on ebay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 I might be wrong but I wouldn't be surprised if the people who are doing this don't end up putting them on ebay I wouldn't be surprised, that or boot sales etc. The lady from the charity said that unless we had the license plate number etc then there was nothing they could do. They do follow this up though if you do manage to catch someone stealing the bags and they always get the police involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 It has happened here too. Folk think it is fair game....like taking stuff off skips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 I don't mind people taking stuff from skips etc, I deliberately left stuff out of any skips we've had with signs on saying help yourself. Also I've used Freecycle quite a bit too. But when its a bag going to charity, thats a different matter entirely in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 That's terrible . I've not heard of that happening here but perhaps it is and I've just assumed it was collected by the right people . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looney Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 People can be so infuriating, it is so wrong to steal charity bags. I've heard of that happening around here too. In fact one of the charity bags we had through had a phone number on the bag to call if you saw anyone collecting bags that wasn't in an official van. I guessed it has been a quiet time for the local charities as we had 5 charity bags through the door last week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reikiranf Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Sadly it does happen a lot Seagazer, I've had it happen too, I put the bag out early and a plain white van came along and collected the bag before the time the charity asked for the bag to be put out, I know it wasn't the charity as they have a van with a logo on and also I don't think they would come along before that time, unfortunately I didn't get the registration or I would have reported it to the police. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 There was something on TV last week about this - apparently it's organised crime and the items are being taken abroad and sold...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 They aren't stealing from the charity shop nor from you: they are staling from teh people the charity is helping. So, kids left homeless after earthquakes, kids dying of lack of clean water in Africa.... whatever. Dispicable behaviour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share Posted October 15, 2009 Thats the thing isn't it, I've put the stuff out for charity to help people, not for rotten people to help themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 my Dad told me that someone has been stealing the collecting boxes for the air ambulance - I hope they need it themselves one day!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share Posted October 15, 2009 my Dad told me that someone has been stealing the collecting boxes for the air ambulance - I hope they need it themselves one day!!!!! That is totally disgusting. How low can these people sink? The air ambulance do such a fantastic job, we've had them land near us at least 5 times in the 11 years we've lived here. They make such a big difference to whether somebody survives or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 sadly this is one reason I never leave charity bags out. They are lower than pond life IMO to steal from people that need and deserve the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I said to DS a couple of days ago I wish I could just be transported back to the 1970s or 1980s when the world just seemed a much nicer place I completely agree. I had a fantastic carefree childhood and have fond memories of growing up in the 70's. I really feel for the kids of today, and fear of what this country is going to become when I am an OAP! I don't leave out charity bags anymore, afraid of someone selling it on ebay or something - we do get a lot of those bags of charities I have never heard of around here aswell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 We have given up putting out charity bags because we live in a cul-de-sac and although the bags get dropped off they rarely get collected, and we have quite a few of the dubious ones that sell the stuff. We have a couple of charities who will collect on certain days, so I prefer to arrange that. We had a collection by the PDSA yesterday. They had our old 2 seater and 3 seater leather sofas and I have just had a text from OH to say that they have already sold them for £150. We gave them loads of other stuff too. They are always cheerful and always grateful, whereas some of the charity shops around here are run by dragons who are so ungrateful and rude We never donate anything that is in bad condition and we are great charity shop buyers, so it should be win win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted October 16, 2009 Author Share Posted October 16, 2009 That sounds good Chickencam They certainly got a lovely donation from you then. I will just take the stuff up to the shops from now on. We have a fine selection of charity shops in the high street (precious little else mind you ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Gosh I hope that Karma gets him at some point. Dont worry, it will! Im a great believer in karma, what goes around comes around! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Unfortunately I've heard of this happening before and this is why we never use doorstep collection for charities, instead the bags get used as 'dirty bags'! We have a charity shop down the road and things constantly get nicked if they're left on the step over a weekend, or at least rummaged through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
