Charity box stolen from Martin & Co

The charity box at Martin & Co that the smaller collection box that was stolen was in

A charity box that was being used to collect donations for a cancer charity has been stolen from Martin & Co on Cheetham Street, Rochdale.

It is unclear when the box was taken from the estate agents, but staff had been collecting for the charity for a number of months.

Phil Watson, from Martin & Co, said: “The frustrating thing is we don’t know exactly when it was stolen. We were getting together for a staff photograph and was moving furniture and the coffee table and when we went to put it all back that is when we noticed. We realised that the small pink box that was in the bigger box had gone. We all looked at each other and then realised that it must have been taken.”

Martin & Co was collecting money for the charity following one of Phil’s family members giving him the box.

Phil added: “A family member of mine has just got through her battle with cancer and she gave me the box to raise money so that makes it even more frustrating.”

Phil has informed the police and states that they have told him that this type of crime is on the rise.

He said: “We have contacted the police so they are aware of it and they said that unfortunately these types of crimes are on the increase. They are now advising people to put the boxes on people’s desks and to tie them down with cable ties, which is sad.

“It is frustrating because it is a small minority of people that give us and Rochdale a bad name.”