£2,000 brooch is stolen from charity shop

From the archive, first published Thursday 9th Feb 2006.

STAFF at an Ilkley charity shop have been left devastated by the theft of a diamond brooch worth up to £2,500.

The brooch, which had been given to the Oxfam shop on The Grove by an anonymous donor, had been on show in a locked display cabinet with a £2,000 price tag when it was stolen two weeks ago.

Shop manager Shelagh Hopkinson said: "This was a devastating blow to everyone who works hard here to help overcome poverty and suffering. The money we would have made from that brooch would have done so much to help people in poverty.

"For example that amount of money would build a classroom, train a teacher and provide 450 school dinners - this is what the thieves have taken."

Staff have been so upset by the loss of the brooch that they postponed a new promotion called `Make Crime Pay' which was due to begin this week.

The campaign was based on selling books by crime writers but Mrs Hopkinson was not happy putting the posters in the window.

"We were supposed to be launching a big promotion called Make Crime Pay. I haven't the heart to put that in the window. It would make us all really depressed so we have put it off until next week," said Mrs Hopkinson.

Mrs Hopkinson said that the brooch was not the only item of high value which passed through the shop's hands.

They regularly get items worth hundreds of pounds, such as ornaments, pottery and silver wear which are kept in the display cabinet.

It they don't sell after a period on display they are taken to auction. The high-value display cabinet is kept locked because to the chronic problem of theft at the shop.

The thief is thought to have picked the lock while staff were distracted.

Mrs Hopkinson said: "Shoplifting is a big problem. They tend to target charity shops."

She said that thieves often thought that the volunteer staff who man the shops were often older and less able to chase and catch them. The main items stolen tend to be CDs and clothing.

A spokesman from Oxfam said. Theft is a problem in charity shops and one that can be reduced considerably if there was more help on the premises.

Anyone who knows anything about the identity of the thieve(s), or who can offer their gift of time to help reduce poverty by helping in the shop please ring 01943 602524 and speak to Shelagh or Paul.

Mrs Hopkinson recently travelled to Albania to see at first hand some of Oxfam's development work. She has now put together a presentation about her experiences.

She said: "The main purpose of the trip was to see how Oxfam is helping people with sustainable living projects.

"The charity's work in response to disasters around the world is well known through the massive news coverage such events attract, but the on-going day-to-day work doesn't hit the headlines."

Any school or organisation which would like to hear about Oxfam's work then please contact Shelagh, either in the Ilkley Oxfam shop or by ringing 01943 602524 (daytime) or 01535 667995 (evenings).

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