Thieves target charity outlet

Thieves target charity outlet

5 November 2025

HEARTLESS thieves targeting a charity shop in Newcastle have been warned their time is up.

Volunteers at The Wee Charity Shop — which raises thousands of pounds for other charities and good causes — say they have had enough of being consistently singled out and have warned they will handover CCTV footage to police.

The culprits have been filmed taking large amounts of clothes into changing rooms, stuffing them into a bag and making off without paying, while others have been observed removing price labels on goods.

Staff have also observed thieves taking items into the children’s area at the shop and stuffing them into a bag before leaving.

Charity officials are at the end of their tether and say “enough is enough”, revealing that people are also hiding clothes inside curtains which they then roll up before purchasing.

While frustrated staff are aware what has been going on, they have now gone public to alert those responsible for stealing clothes.

Worryingly, while the shoplifting has been going on for a long time, the volunteers say it’s getting worse with the shop’s CCTV cameras and eagle-eyed volunteers and customers observing the thieves in action.

Staff say while they have turned a blind eye to what has been happening, they have now had enough, with local people flooding social media with comments roundly condemning those who would steal from a charity shop.

The volunteers say the culprits are not stealing from the shop, but from the charities and local groups it supports, confirming that from now on, the shop will pass on CCTV footage of anyone caught stealing to police or post it on the charity shop’s social media page.

Since the start of last month, the charity shop has handed over a total of £7,000 to a number of organisations in the area and recently donated £20,000 to an African charity.

The volunteers have thanked their “loyal and honest customers” for their support.

Shop manager Violet Moore said all the money raised goes to charity and said the store is not the only one to be targeted by shoplifters.

“The problem is getting worse and we have noticed an increase over the past two years in particular. We are aware of the need out there and our prices are the cheapest of any charity shop which is one of the reasons why we are so well supported,” she explained.

“When we opened the money raised was for Africa but we recognised a need in our own community, in particular, to support those charities helping people deal with mental health issues.”

Violet described the increase shoplifting as “disheartening” given the many organisations the charity supports and the help it provides to those in need.

“The majority of our customers are brilliant and so appreciative and supportive of all that we do. We give so much out to the community and are well supported by it,” she said.

Violet said one shoplifter was spotted with handfuls of stuff in the shop and thought she was “just a seller” and was buying clothes to resell them. But she was observed putting the items in a bag and walking out.

“The staff and I have helped people out of our own pocket and we do get to know our customers. Someone who is need will never tell you that they are because they are proud,” she said.

“We do have some people who buy from us to sell on and that is okay as long as we are getting what we want for the items.”

Violet continued: “We just wish people wouldn’t come in and steal from us. It’s been going now for too long and we want it to stop. We are a charity shop but we take time to listen to people and we can signpost them to other groups for help and support.

“We may not be counsellors, but we can listen and are more than happy to do so. I love my job and  people who have come to us in the past have ended up working in the place.

Violent added: “We are about helping people and making money for the community and we are very much a family-orientated shop.

“The shoplifting is so disheartening. We just want it to stop. Ninety nine per cent of our customers are brilliant.

“The people shoplifting are not in need. Their only need is getting away with it.”