Heartless thieves ransack St Luke’s Hospice charity shop

Heartless thieves have targeted a St Luke’s Hospice charity shop making off with gifts sets and jewellery intended for Christmas sales.

St Luke’s Hospice charity shop in St Anns Road, Harrow, was burgled by thieves in the early hours of this morning.

Devastated staff said the shop was ransacked in a “senseless crime” with many donated goods stolen.

Lisa Dodwell, St Luke’s head of retail operations, said: “This terrible incident caused St Luke’s Hospice to not only lose time and money but also caused a great deal of upset for our committed team of staff and volunteers who struggled to understand why this senseless crime should happen to the hospice.

“Our committed supporters have donated goods to the shops to benefit the hospice and this is also an attack on their kindness for a local cause.”

Stolen items included perfume gifts sets that were being kept to sell at Christmas, collection tins, jewellery, toys and the shop stereo system.

The charity, based in Kenton Grange, Kenton, has 19 shops across Brent and Harrow and relies on the support of the local community to provide free end of life care to patients and their families.

Ms Dodwell added: “St Luke’s relies on charitable donations for over 75per cent of the funds that we need to provide free hospice care and in 2016 the shops raised over £745,000 for St Luke’s.

“Our St Anns shop is a very busy shop and especially in the run up to Christmas.

“The theft will have an impact on the sales we make in the shop and in turn this will impact the donations that will go towards patient care at the hospice.”

The charity has said anyone willing to donate goods to replenish the St Anns shop can do so during its opening hours from Monday –Saturday 9.30am – 5pm.

Goods can also be dropped of at St Luke’s Warehouse at 24 Dalston Gardens, Stanmore.

They urge people not to leave goods outside the shop or warehouse.

For more information about the charity go to stlukes-hospice.org/shops