PEOPLE in Darlington have been asked to be on the lookout for thieves stealing charity bags put out on the street for collection.

Donation bags that can be filled with unwanted clothes and household goods are a common method among charities for raising funds, but some organisations are losing out to thieves who take the bags off the street before they can be collected.

The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) and Armed Forces charities are among those thought to be affected by stolen collections around Darlington in recent weeks.

One resident of the town’s west end, who asked not to be named, said she and several of her neighbours put out charity donations for GNAAS and the British Forces Foundation but they disappeared.

She said: “I was horrified to find that when the air ambulance van came round all the bags had been taken. Almost everyone in the street had put a bag out and they were all gone.

“We try to help charities and then these thieves can get away with doing something like this.”

A spokeswoman for Darlington Police said the force had no record of charity bags being targeted by thieves but urged charities to contact officers if they felt bags had been stolen.

A spokesman for GNAAS said: “Unfortunately, thefts such as these are not uncommon. It’s difficult to put an exact number on it, but we estimate such incidents are costing us £5,000 a week.

“That’s the cost of two potentially life-saving missions. It is saddening that some people are happy to put their own profit before the well-being of a charity which faces a constant battle to survive. We only hope the perpetrators are brought to justice before any more damage is done.

“All of our collectors carry identification and our vans are clearly marked with the charity’s green and white logo. We would like to ask members of the public to report any suspicious activity to the police.”

A spokesman for the British Forces Foundation said theft of donation bags was a common problem for charities.