Charity box theft is the final straw

The theft of a charity box from a Dereham garage has prompted businessman Bob Lane to withdraw use of his premises for displaying collecting boxes.The box, in aid of the Daisy Garland charity for children with epilepsy and containing around �30, was taken when his premises on Rash's Green was broken into and petty cash and the collecting box were taken.

The theft of a charity box from a Dereham garage has prompted businessman Bob Lane to withdraw use of his premises for displaying collecting boxes.

The box, in aid of the Daisy Garland charity for children with epilepsy and containing around �30, was taken when his premises on Rash's Green was broken into and petty cash and the collecting box were taken.

Mr Lane, who owns Dereham Re-spray and Auto Services, has been quite upset by the theft of the collecting box which he had hidden when he closed up for the weekend.

But the premises were entered on Saturday or Sunday night and about �40 in petty cash and the charity box were taken.

But Mr Lane has been hearted by donations from two of his customers which has equalled the amount believed to have been collected in the bottle.

One customer took along her own collecting bottle containing about �25 in coins and a man handed Mr Lane �5 towards replacing the stolen charity money.

'It's very low down the line when someone has to steal a charity collection box but it does restore your faith in civilisation when people make these sort of kind and generous donations,' he said.

But Mr Lane said he was sad to have come to the decision not to display any more collection boxes because they were a target for some people.

It was an unfortunate weekend for Mr Lane because one of the vehicles on his compound was written-off after it was hit by a car that crashed through his boundary fence.