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Textile bank thieves become more `inventive`
Source: Materials Recycling Week
More charities have reported an increase in textile bank theft and they claim that thieves are becoming more inventive in the methods they use to steal clothes from them.
An Oxfam spokesman told MRW: “Thefts are increasing from textile banks and we are finding that the perpetrators of these thefts are becoming more inventive in the way they steal from our banks.
“Some have keys cut to fit the locks and others cut the bolts of the shoots to remove them.”
The charity has more than 750 textile banks nationwide.
The Oxfam spokesman said that it is “trying to stay ahead of the game” and has tried to change its locks frequently to deter criminals. He urged the public to donate directly to the charity shop in person. He added that there was “not a great deal that we can do about the thefts”.
The charity Scope has also had problems with textile bank theft. Retail director Andrew Adair said: “Anecdotally we have noticed a slight rise in thefts from textile banks. It is a lucrative trade and we think high price of rag at the moment is the main cause behind the rise, rather than the current recession.
“We make every effort to make our textile banks as secure as possible and, as a consequence, instances of theft remain rare.
“We would urge anyone who sees anyone trying to break into or damage a textile bank to notify the police in the first instance. For those people able to, we would encourage them to take clothing and bric-a-brac to their local Scope shop in person. This is the most cost-effective way of donating to Scope, as it keeps our collection costs down, thereby ensuring that as much money as possible is raised to support our work with disabled people.”
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