BURGLARS who targeted a charity shop have been branded “sick” by one of its trustees.

Mark Gwyther said he “can’t believe” the break-in happened at the Kathryn Turner Trust shop in Suffolk Way, Abingdon.

The trust raises cash for good causes and is currently collecting up to £4,000-a-month for two forces charities.

Mr Gwyther, one of three trustees, said: “It is sick.

“You hear about the odd charity tin going missing from a garage but I have never, ever heard of a charity shop being broken into.”

He said: “I just couldn’t believe that someone would have done it. It is just low, it really is.

“Someone has to be desperate to break into a charity store.”

Police said two men carried out the break-in on Friday, October 4 while a third kept watch outside.

They tried to force the front door and then broke in through a ground floor window, causing £2,500 of damage.

They took day’s takings of £450, the £40 float and a collection tin with up to £60 and the shop’s £400 black Advent laptop containing its accounts.

The shop’s CCTV was disconnected but not before the image above was captured.

Mr Gwyther said he managed the repair the window himself at a cost to the charity of £54 while a new laptop has cost it £460.

It chose to avoid insurers, he said: “As soon as you mention that to the insurance companies your insurance goes through the roof.”

He said of the laptop: “It is just a complete and utter headache.

“We thought we had backed up the accounts but it was only up until October last year.

“We have had to sit down for two days to put all the information in.”

He said the national Royal British Legion and Oxfordshire branch of the Soldiers and Sailors Families Association (SSAFA), which supports forces families, get between £2,500 and £4,000 each a month through the shop.

Richard Wilkins, chairman of the SSAFA branch, said: “It is absolutely tragic. I rang them as soon as I heard.

“They are very stoical about it and carried on work as normal.”

Police said one suspect was white, 20 to 25, slim with a large nose and wore a light-coloured Adidas sweatshirt with the hood up, black gloves, light bottoms and Nike trainers.

The second man was similarly dressed but of bigger build. There is no description of the third man.

Investigating officer PC James Cartwright from Abingdon Police Station said: “It is the lowest of the low to break into a charity shop. To steal from a charity is to take directly from those who need it most. The money from this shop goes to the Royal British Legion and SSAFA, so we are doing everything to locate these offenders and bring them to justice.”

Anyone with information can call Pc James Cartwright on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.