• Home
  • History
  • News
  • Business
    • Business News
    • Business Mag
  • Sport
    • Football
    • NAFC
    • Cricket
    • Durham Wildcats
    • American Football
    • Baseball
    • Rugby
    • Youth Football
  • Features
    • Blog
    • Picture Galleries
  • Community
    • A.T People
    • Services Directory
  • Video
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Aycliffe Today
Aycliffe Today
  • Home
  • History
  • News
  • Business
    • Business News
      You’re Hiyed! The CIC that’s breaking down job barriers

      You’re Hiyed! The CIC that’s breaking down job barriers

      Getting Human Resources back to basics – with HR2day’s free audit offer

      Getting Human Resources back to basics – with HR2day’s free audit offer

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 73

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 73

      ‘Topping out’ celebrated at multi-million pound Aycliffe development

      ‘Topping out’ celebrated at multi-million pound Aycliffe development

    • Business Mag
      Aycliffe Business: Issue 73

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 73

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 72

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 72

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 71

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 71

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 70

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 70

  • Sport
    • Football
      Aycliffe Youthy round-up

      Aycliffe Youthy round-up

      Aycliffe stay third with 4-0 away win

      Aycliffe stay third with 4-0 away win

      Aycliffe go top with four wins from first four games

      Aycliffe go top with four wins from first four games

      Unbeaten start for Sports Club

      Unbeaten start for Sports Club

    • NAFC
      More new signings as Aycliffe prepare to welcome Darlington in friendly

      More new signings as Aycliffe prepare to welcome Darlington in friendly

      New arrivals as Newton Aycliffe FC prepare for 2025-26

      New arrivals as Newton Aycliffe FC prepare for 2025-26

      Aycliffe FC celebrate record season with club awards night

      Aycliffe FC celebrate record season with club awards night

      Aycliffe narrowly miss out on play-off place – but achieve record league finish

      Aycliffe narrowly miss out on play-off place – but achieve record league finish

    • Cricket
      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

    • Durham Wildcats
      WILDCATS FIGHTBACK TO SECURE CUP WIN

      WILDCATS FIGHTBACK TO SECURE CUP WIN

      WOLVES EDGE IT AGAINST WILDCATS

      WOLVES EDGE IT AGAINST WILDCATS

      DURHAM WILDCATS 73, GLASGOW ROCKS 99

      DURHAM WILDCATS 73, GLASGOW ROCKS 99

      WILDCATS SLAY LIONS AGAIN

      WILDCATS SLAY LIONS AGAIN

    • American Football
      WARRIORS BEAT AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL

      WARRIORS BEAT AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL

      WARRIORS START SEASON IN STYLE!

      WARRIORS START SEASON IN STYLE!

      WOODHAM WARRIORS VICTORIOUS

      WOODHAM WARRIORS VICTORIOUS

      WARRIORS COACH TO TRAIN GB SQUAD

      WARRIORS COACH TO TRAIN GB SQUAD

    • Baseball
      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      COUNCILLORS 'PITCH' FOR LOCAL SPORTS CLUB!

      COUNCILLORS 'PITCH' FOR LOCAL SPORTS CLUB!

      SPARTANS UP FOR TOP AWARD

      SPARTANS UP FOR TOP AWARD

      NEWTON AYCLIFFE SPARTANS AT WOODHAM

      NEWTON AYCLIFFE SPARTANS AT WOODHAM

    • Rugby
      Aycliffe fall to heavy defeat against league leaders

      Aycliffe fall to heavy defeat against league leaders

      Aycliffe notch up another loss in local derby

      Aycliffe notch up another loss in local derby

      Rugby: Aycliffe in bottom two after Whitley Bay defeat

      Rugby: Aycliffe in bottom two after Whitley Bay defeat

      Aycliffe return to winning ways with hard-fought victory over Bishop

      Aycliffe return to winning ways with hard-fought victory over Bishop

    • Youth Football
      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Newton Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Newton Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

  • Features
    • Blog
      Covid-19 crisis update from your MP

      Covid-19 crisis update from your MP

      ‘Now we must move forward’ says MP

      ‘Now we must move forward’ says MP

      Business Advice: Cash Flow

      Business Advice: Cash Flow

      The Aycliffe Blue Blog

      The Aycliffe Blue Blog

    • Picture Galleries
      Picture Gallery: Duke of Kent visits Ebac

      Picture Gallery: Duke of Kent visits Ebac

      PICTURES: Hitachi Opening Ceremony

      PICTURES: Hitachi Opening Ceremony

      PICTURES: ROF 59 in progress

      PICTURES: ROF 59 in progress

      PICTURES: Ayclife dancers in national finals

      PICTURES: Ayclife dancers in national finals

  • Community
    • A.T People
      Spring 2015

      Spring 2015

      December 2014

      December 2014

      Aug - Sept 2014

      Aug - Sept 2014

    • Services Directory
  • Video
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
LATVIAN THIEVES STOLE CHARITY BAGS FROM AYCLIFFE
Home
News

LATVIAN THIEVES STOLE CHARITY BAGS FROM AYCLIFFE

June 8th, 2012 Martin Walker News 0 comments 1739

top banner

By Martin Walker

A gang of Latvian thieves were caught stealing clothes left for charity near Tesco in Newton Aycliffe after police fitted tracking devices to the bags.

Detectives fitted the charity sacks with the equipment following a spate of similar thefts and it led them to the culprits’ van.

As reported in the Northern Echo, Latvians Ivar Rasa, Uldis Stepins and Girts Ziemelis stole several bags of clothes that had been left at an Oxfam drop-off point at Tesco on Sunday 9th April.

The tracking devices led officers to their van, which was still in the town, later the same day.

The three men had taken the bags after stopping at the town’s Tesco store to refuel while they were travelling to their homes in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, after visiting Scotland.

They all admitted the theft when they appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Claire Brinton, prosecuting, said the clothes were all in bags marked with the Oxfam logo and there could be no doubt they were meant for the charity.

She said they were initially valued at £3,000, although that estimate was later reduced. The clothes were all recovered.

Rasa, 30, has been in the UK for about eight years, but is not working or claiming benefits his solicitor, Ben Pegman, said.

Mr Pegman added: “This was an opportunistic offence. How well Mr Rasa knows the work of Oxfam I am not sure, but he accepts they were Oxfam’s goods.”

Speaking through an interpreter, Stepins, 34, said: “I feel very sorry.”

Ziemelis, 26, also apologised through an interpreter.

Each were given an 18-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £40 costs.

Speaking after the sentencing, Wendy Mitchell, from the Charity Retail Association, said thefts of donations cost charities about £50m a year, while charities in the North-East lose out by about £3m.

She told the Echo: “Getting enough donations of second-hand clothing and other unwanted items from members of the public is the number one concern for charity shops.

“We are pleased to see any action taken against people who are stealing from charities.”

Alistair Mclean, chief executive of the Fundraising Standards Board, said thefts of bags left for charities had risen in the past few years because of the value of second-hand clothing “going through the roof”.

He said: “We would urge anyone who is suspicious of where their donations are going to report it.

“Charities rely on donations, and the public has to have the confidence that what they donate is going to the right place.”

A police spokeswoman said: “Stealing donations of clothes and other items intended for charitable causes is a despicable crime.

“We are committed to tackling such activity and will use appropriate tactics to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”

 

top banner

Share it!

Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest
Next article AYCLIFFE ‘VIBE’ WAS PULLING POWER – HUGHES
Previous article EURO 2012 PREVIEW - PART 2

Related News

Young people encouraged to share views on crime News
July 24th, 2025

Young people encouraged to share views on crime

Measures to control HMOs to be considered News
July 22nd, 2025

Measures to control HMOs to be considered

£1m funding to target local crime hotspots News
July 7th, 2025

£1m funding to target local crime hotspots

LATEST VIDEO

This week on A.T

Jul 24th 2:06 PM
News

Young people encouraged to share views on crime

Jul 23rd 8:25 AM
Business

You’re Hiyed! The CIC that’s breaking down job barriers

Jul 22nd 1:32 PM
News

Measures to control HMOs to be considered

Jul 22nd 12:58 PM
Sport

More new signings as Aycliffe prepare to welcome Darlington in friendly

Jul 21st 4:25 PM
Business

Getting Human Resources back to basics – with HR2day’s free audit offer

Jul 14th 6:06 PM
Sport

Aycliffe Cricket round-up

Jul 8th 5:00 PM
Business

Aycliffe Business: Issue 73

Jul 7th 11:02 AM
Sport

Aycliffe Cricket round-up

Jul 7th 9:22 AM
News

£1m funding to target local crime hotspots

Jul 4th 2:45 PM
Community

Aycliffe students visit Knife Angel on photography trip

Recommend
Follow @AycliffeToday
  • Home
  • History
  • News
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Features
  • Community
  • Video
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Back to top
© Aycliffe Today 2019. All rights reserved.
Developed by Thrive