Two thieves have been caught on camera stealing from a charity shop run by ‘Britain’s kindest plumber’ which raises money for vulnerable families.
Plumber James Anderson said the thieves were ‘taking food off a child’s table’ after they hid a £50 bottle of cologne behind baby supplies they'd got for free at his store.
The 55-year-old dad-of-six founded the community interest company Depher, which provides free heating and plumber services to those in desperate need. He received the special recognition trophy at the Pride of Britain awards last year.
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The modern-day hero, who described the theft as ‘heart-breaking’, has helped people struggling with huge bills and has handed out essential supplies to those struggling during the cost of living crisis.
Alongside the CIC, James also runs the Depher Community Fund shop, on Rosegrove Lane in Burnley, Lancashire, alongside his wife Barbara, which raises money for hard-up families alongside offering free and discounted products, such as baby supplies, dried foods and sanitary items.
James said: “They’re taking food off a child’s table. It’s just heartbreaking knowing that someone can come in, ask for support, and we’ve given them it with an open heart, and then he steals from us.
“We could have sold that and the money we make off that would then buy food, which then can be used to put on the table of a child or an adult or vulnerable person.
“It beggars belief, and it’s just so wrong on every single level.”
James said the incident happened on Monday when Barbara was manning the shop. He explained that staff first handed the men several kids' sanitary items for free after they said they were receiving child benefit allowance.
But while one of the men then distracted Barbara, another picked up the aftershave and tucked it behind a pack of wipes he’d been given before walking out of the store.
“You’re allowed a packet of nappies, a packet of wipes and some sanitary products,” James explained. “That’s every two weeks until the cost of living crisis is over. So we gave him a packet of nappies and a packet of baby wipes for free.
“They were having a walk around and seeing what is what inside the shop, and on the right-hand side we have a lot of food. The eldest gentleman with the blue jacket reached into the front shop window and pulled a box of after-shave out and walked around with it for a bit.
“The staff didn’t think any of it. They were nice, and he said thank you for the nappies and thanked them for the support, and then put it down.
“But he then distracted the shop worker, who is my wife Barbara, so she wouldn’t notice the young guy pick it up and put it behind the wipes that we gave him for free.
“He then turned to the left and walked out of the shop. It was about £50 worth of aftershave. It was a big bottle. But we weren’t selling it for that amount.”
James said it was shocking that the men had chosen to target the charity shop. Despite the incident, he said he plans to continue the good work he’s doing to help others.
He added: “You don’t go into a charity shop, ask for that help, receive it with an open heart and then steal from the same shop. It’s just not right.
“But it is what it is. And we can’t tarnish everyone with the same brush. So we’ve just got to carry on.”
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