A parish council has declared ‘shame on you’ after people stealing clothes from a charity left the items they didn’t want on a grave.
Long Sutton Parish Council says the clothes left at the Salvation Army charity bin, in the Co-Op car park, are regularly rifled.
A statement released by the council says that it’s been going on for ‘some time’ but the leaving of clothes on a family tomb and memorial bench was the reason for it making a plea to those responsible.
“People are taking the bags and accessing inside the bin, trying on clothes and taking the ones they want leaving the rest scattered everywhere,” said the statement issued last week after the clothes were found on a grave.
“The Co-op has been approached continually about the situation and the council is aware that many parishioners have complained directly to them to no avail.
“The council asks that residents do not leave bags adjacent to the bins and dispose of them elsewhere until the Co-op honours their customers’ requests and removes the bins permanently and not simply relocate them again as they did before.
“For those who have acted so disrespectfully – shame on you.”
Parish clerk Karen Treacher said this had been happening ‘on a regular basis over the past few months’.
“Residents have witnessed others new to the area taking clothes back to their accommodation and trying on,” she said.
A spokesman for Lincolnshire Co-op said: “Our clothing banks allow communities to easily recycle unwanted garments and raise vital funds for both Salvation Army and our own Community Champions scheme.
“If items are properly deposited into the clothing banks, it is not possible to remove them again.
“We were made aware that the clothing bank at Long Sutton was full, and it has since been emptied by the Salvation Army.
“We will continue to monitor this.”
