Weston Hospicecare staff are dealing with yet another break-in after thieves strike at their shop in Yatton overnight.

It comes after burglaries at the charity’s Milton Road and Clevedon Triangle shop in the last two months.  

They took a float, money in a fundraising tin and caused damage within the shop. Damage found inside the shop included a broken filing cabinet, a lock which had been forced away from a cupboard, which the thieves had clearly accessed, and the till area had also been upended.   

Takings are never kept in any Weston Hospicecare shop overnight and are banked each day.

The financial outlay now needed to make repairs and loss of trade will mean the hospice is set to lose thousands of pounds and will mean it is ultimately patients who will lose out according to hospice retail director Gemma Turner.  

She says: “The effect of the cruel break-ins in recent months has meant we have had to spend thousands on repairs and security upgrades while losing trade when the affected shops can’t open.

“Our insurance cover, which does partly cover some of the cost of the break-in, will also rise in price.

“The money raised in all our shops usually goes directly towards funding the amazing expert and compassionate care our doctors, nurses and medical consultants deliver day-in, day-out.

“However, we now have to find the money to fund these essential repairs meaning it is the patients who will ultimately miss out in the long run.

“It’s clear, for whatever reason, our shops are being targeted. Usually we rely on the kindness of our amazing community, who have been there for us over our 30-year history, for support.

“The Yatton shop will remain closed for the rest of the day while we arrange repairs to the shop to make sure we can reopen for business as soon as possible.

The shop’s manager Harriett Peacock, who was the first to discover the scene, says she is upset and can’t understand why anyone would want to target hospice shops.

She said: “I just can’t understand why anyone would want to do this to us. I am very disappointed and shocked.

“We are here to help our local community by raising money to support expert care given to those who really need it at the most difficult time of their lives.  

“I know all our kind-hearted volunteers and wonderful customers for this shop will be devastated and it means neither can come back until we are back open.”

The hospice is appealing for support through a dedicated JustGiving page which has been setup to help fund repairs as a result of a recent spate of burglaries at Weston Hospicecare shops. To support the fund, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/wh-shopappeal.