Exclusive by Alan Quick

TWO Crediton High Street charity shops were broken-into during the early hours of this morning, Tuesday, August 29.

The British Red Cross shop at 125 High Street had a window pane in a door smashed to gain access, it is believed between 4am and 4.30am.

It is understood that an untidy search was made and both staff lockers and a till drawer were forced open but, it is believed, nothing was stolen.

The incident was reported to the police at 4.30am.

Police attended the scene and the glass was temporarily repaired with board at about 5am.

A police forensic team visited the shop during the morning.

A volunteer at the shop said: “To take from a charity shop is really the lowest of the low. While we don’t think anything was really taken, it has caused us a lot of inconvenience and expense.”

The Crediton and District Age Concern shop at 50 High Street had its front door forced at about the same time and an untidy search was made.

Karen Greenslade, shop manager, said: “When I arrived to open the shop I found the door open with bits of the lock on the doorstep.

“CCTV from a neighbouring business shows a man walking out of the front of the shop at about 4.23am and then going around the back of the shop.

“At the back of the shop he broke into a building and emptied lots of recycling bags of their contents, which was mainly clothes.

“The police forensic team came and said they think he used a crowbar.”

Crediton Police are appealing for information about the break-ins and if anyone can help, they are asked to contact the police on the 101 telephone number, quoting crime number 109 of August 29.