A TEENAGER who sells kindling firewood on the outskirts of Crediton off the A377 may have to stop trading as thefts from the “honesty box” increased significantly during the Christmas and New Year period.

Jan Skinner, the mother of Lloyd Skinner (15), a student at Queen Elizabeth’s School in Crediton, who runs the business, said that the thefts were becoming too much.

She explained: “Some years ago we had a churn stolen from where we sell the kindling but on Christmas Eve Lloyd had sold six bags but someone had broken the padlock and stolen the money from the ‘honesty box’.

“The theft took place between 3pm and 4pm and we think £18 was taken.

“We think bolt cutters were used to cut the padlock.

“As well as the thefts of the money, people have just taken the bags of kindling and on New Years’ Eve or New Year’s Day five bags of kindling were taken but money left for only one-and-a-half bags.”

The bags of kindling are sold from a grass verge and the business was previously started by Lloyd’s older brother.

Alan Quick