A BURGLAR broke into a charity shop and stole a week’s worth of takings from the till.

Volunteers from the Bluebird Society for the Disabled discovered the break-in yesterday, and have branded the thief a “scumbag” for targeting the charity.

The raid on shop in Portland Road in Hove took place on Saturday night.

Volunteer David Hawthorne, from Hove, said the thief had found a way into the premises through a back window in the shop’s toilet.

Despite the smash of glass, neighbours reportedly didn’t investigate, but police forensics teams were called in to investigate yesterday.

The Bluebird Society provides outings, social events, and lunches for the disabled in Hove, Portslade and Brighton, and relies entirely on donations and volunteers.

Mr Hawthorne, 65, has been volunteering as a driver in his retirement, and said the volunteers at the shop were angry to find the break-in.

He said: “We came in this morning to open the shop, and at first we noticed things had been moved around slightly.

“That wasn’t so unusual as all volunteers need to move things in and out of the shop. But the manager realised we had been burgled when she checked the till.

“We saw that someone had knocked out the window in the back toilet to get in.

“The people upstairs heard the noise and heard the smashed glass on Saturday night, but unfortunately decided it was nothing to do with them so ignored it.”

The police were called, and forensics officers reportedly have managed to trace prints made at the scene.

Mr Hawthorne said: “The burglar took a week’s worth of takings. It will affect our work and what we are able to do for the disabled in Hove, Portslade and Brighton.

“We are horrified that anyone would steal from a charity. Normally the money would have been bagged up and taken off, but the person who usually does it was off, so there was more money in there than normal.

“It is an outrage that they have taken this money from sick and disabled people.”

The Bluebird Society was set up in 1963 by the late Ronnie Ablett MBE to support disabled people in the area, and is affiliated to the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation.

It is also a member of the Brighton and Hove Federation for Disabled People, which provides an information service to those who need help.

To find out more about the charity visit www.bluebird-hove.org.