Charity bags stolen from doorsteps
A pensioner who lost her husband and son to cancer in the space of only nine months has been left outraged by the theft of charity bags from doorsteps in Musselburgh.
Local resident Evelyn Ferrier (69) was appalled to discover that plastic sacks containing clothing and other items left out for collection by Capability Scotland had been stolen by thieves operating from an unmarked white van.
With the help of her daughter Leesa, Mrs Ferrier raised almost 3,000 for cancer charities last year in memory of her husband Alan and her only son John.
Alan, a former police sergeant lost his fight for life in August 2008 after a short illness, at the age of 68.
Washed
Already devastated by the death of her husband, Mrs Ferrier learned two days before Alan's funeral that their son John (37) had only months to live, after being diagnosed with secondary cancer.
"Having seen people working so hard to support charities, and the good work that charities do, I just cannot believe that other people would steal from them," she told the News.
"I had actually washed and ironed curtains and searched for good quality things to put in the bag and I can't believe a thief has got these things."
Mrs Ferrier first became suspicious a few weeks ago when she noticed a van "cruising" in the area.
It was only when workers from the charity turned up a short time later and discovered that there were no bags to collect that she realised what had happened.
Leaving
"I don't know how people can steal from charities when they know that charities are toiling anyway, and apparently this is not the first time it has happened," Mrs Ferrier continued.
"Not everyone can get to a charity shop and the charities will suffer even more if this deters people from leaving things on their doorsteps. It just makes my blood boil."
The incident has been reported to the police, who advised Mrs Ferrier to note the registration numbers of any vehicles she believes to be operating suspiciously in the area.
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Sunday 05 February 2012
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