CHARITY bag thieves struck at a pensioner’s home in Rudheath the same morning a gang snatched bags from outside a house in Barnton.

In each case the bags were destined for a recycling company which supports North West Air Ambulance, which had distributed charity bags in Northwich over the preceding days.

Criminals stole bags from a driveway in Barnton which had been put out for collection by the householder a few hours earlier.

An article in last week’s Guardian about the theft was spotted by a pensioner from Rudheath, who was the victim of a similar theft the same morning.

“I was really angry when I realised the bags had been stolen,” said the 72-year-old.

“I had put four bags of clothing out for the Air Ambulance at 11pm the night before as I was going to bed.

“I put them outside the front door, and at about 10 to nine the next morning I opened the door to find they had gone.

“I assumed they had been collected early, but realised they had been stolen when the van came round at half past nine to pick them up.

“People have no scruples to do this, and it is on a par with stealing charity boxes.”

The woman and her husband live in a retirement bungalow, and have put charity bags out for collection a number of times over the 14 months they have been in their present home.

Following the theft they are now unsure whether other bags they left out were also stolen, and are considering asking the recycling company to collect in person in future.