A CHARITY shop had cash stolen from its till on Saturday afternoon while open for business, in a theft that has been described as “appalling”.

Police are now appealing for witnesses after �127 was taken from the Salvation Army’s Letchworth GC store between 2.30pm and 3pm.

The offender has been described as a white man, around 5ft 9in tall, in his mid 20s to early 30s with short blonde spikey hair.

The offender was wearing a grey cardigan, a white T-shirt and a stripey scarf, and was carrying a Moss Bros sale bag when they entered the Leys Avenue-based shop.

Responding to the incident, Barrie Sampson, Captain of the Letchworth Salvation Army, said: “I think it’s an awful state of affairs when people come in and steal from a charity shop.

“It’s a day’s takings on a Saturday as we only have the shop open until 4pm.

“The money helps support the community within Letchworth so it’s been taken away from the community and that’s the be all and end all of it.

“We don’t expect people to steal from a charity shop. If they had taken the time to come and talk to somebody we might have been able to help. It’s just appalling.”

A spokesman for Hertfordshire Constabulary said: “Anybody who recognised the man or has information is asked to contact investigating officer DC Simon Goodship on 0845 33 00 222.”