Thief hands back stolen charity cash (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Thief hands back stolen charity cash

2:27pm Thursday 2nd November 2006 in News

A thief who made off with a charity collection box found that his conscience got the better of him.

He returned it the next day with an extra £160.

Maranda Shepherd was collecting money for Cancer Research UK in the Double D snooker club in Tewkesbury on Saturday, October 21.

The money was for a six-mile sponsored walk she was taking part in the next day.

The 22-year-old left the tin, containing £40 on the bar for other people to donate. but was later devastated to find that it had been stolen.

The following Monday, she received a phone call from the club, telling her that the thief wanted to see her.

She called in and he apologised profusely, describing the theft as a moment of complete stupidity.

To make up for what he had done, he returned the money and added £160 from his own pocket.

"I am not angry with him at all," said Maranda.

"With the money he returned and the money he gave me, I managed to raise £400.

"I had a pink party at the snooker club this Saturday, so all together I raised £830, and I am still collecting."

Maranda was so pleased to get the money back she decided not to press charges, but police are still pursuing the matter, as they say it was charity money and not her own that was taken.

Cancer research is a cause close to her heart, as her grandmother died from the disease and another relative is currently undergoing treatment.

Maranda is a beauty therapist and also works part time at Morrison's Supermarket.

She is planning another pink party around Christmas.