A CANCER-hit nursery owner has told how her charity collection was targeted by twisted thieves twice in one month.
Carol Taggart was sickened three weeks ago when thieves used a small child to sneak into their charity collection bin to steal clothes.
Carol and the children at Hill of St Margaret nursery, Dunfermline, bounced back and had restarted the collection when the heartless crooks struck again.
Carol, who is battling cancer for the second time, discovered on Monday the entire collection had been taken – just weeks before Christmas.
She said: “This time it’s worse. They actually broke the padlock of the collection in to get at the clothes.”
Carol believes the thieves must have once again used a child to carry out the shameless act.
Brazen
“There is a child’s handprint on the inside but they have actually burst the whole thing open.
“This time they’ve really gone to town on it and went through the massive metal bar on the front with big cutters. I can’t believe it.”
The thieves were so brazen they struck while Carol, the children and staff were in the nursery.
Staff and kids at the nursery began collecting clothes after Carol was struck down with cancer for a second time.
The donations were to be shared between the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) and children’s hospice Rachel House, Edinburgh.
Carol said: “Sick to the stomach is not enough to describe how I’m feeling.”
But she is determined to try for a third time.
“We don’t want to stop because we promised Rachel House we’re going to do it. This is not going to put me off. It’s just unbelievable that they can actually do it.”
Community police inspector Phil Davidson said: “The most recent theft indicates that people have no shame when it comes to stealing.
“Taking items left for a charity for the purpose of selling them on is quite contemptible and I would encourage anybody who knows anything about this to speak out.
