Compton Hospice charity shops hit by spate of thefts

Thieves have stolen thousands of pounds from charity shops run by Compton Hospice in a string of raids across the Black Country and South Staffordshire, the Express & Star can reveal today.

Almost £10,000 has been taken and break-ins left the charity, which cares for terminally ill patients, facing a repair bill of about £20,000. Shops in Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and South Staffordshire have been targeted. Thieves struck half a dozen times in the last month.

There have been 20 burglaries in a two-year period.

Compton Hospice based in Compton Road West, Wolverhampton, offers free services to a catchment area of 1.3 million people.

Its annual running costs are £5.6m. Its 18 shops produce a £800,000 net profit.

Shop bosses and volunteers say they are "devastated" by thefts and branded culprits lowest of the low.

Sue Chance, head of trading and fundraising, said: "We are a charity trying to raise money for terminally ill people and we are appalled and devastated someone could stoop so low to steal from us.

"It is doubly heartbreaking because we have such strong connections to people across the Black Country because of the enormous number of people we've helped, many in their final hours over more than two decades.

"I want to encourage our supporters to keep donating as we will get this money back through our insurance and the funds that go to patient care won't be affected."

The shop in New Street, Dudley, has been hit five times and on four occasions burglars broke into the shop in High Street, Brierley Hill.

The charity has bricked up windows, installed steel doors and fitted security shutters. Cash is no longer kept overnight on premises.

Police are investigating several leads and studying CCTV footage of a grey car leaving the scene of a break-in at the Brierley Hill shop.

Insp Richard Jones, said: "We are linking all the cases and looking at all offenders who have previously targeted charity shops.

Anyone with information should call 0845 113 5000 ext 79016000.