A WALK-IN thief has taken several items from the Oxfam Charity Shop in South Street, Wellington.

Its manager of 11 years, Janet Govier, says the incident, which took place near the end of closing time, had left staff ‘upset and shaken’.

She said yesterday: “The items, which were in the back room of our premises, included jewellery and crockery.

“The intruder wedged table legs under the door handle. Obviously we knew something was wrong when we found we could not get into the room.

“We don’t know exactly what was stolen because these were items which were waiting to be sorted.

“This is not an everyday occurrence at the shop, although items left at the front of the building often disappear.”

Oxfam was the first charity shop to open in Wellington and takes nearly £1,500 a week.

It has 35 volunteers and opens six days a week.