Elm Park florists thank public for donations after theft

Owners of Elm Park Florists, who had a charity box stolen last month, have thanked the public for donations to make up the money taken.

Tina Death, co-owner of the shop, in Station Parade, said she wanted to do something positive after discovering that her friend’s sister had cancer.

But on Tuesday, October 18, a thief stole the box which had funds for Cancer Research UK, while distracting Mrs Death’s colleague Jo Gentry.

Since The Recorder did an article appealing for information about the thief the shop owners have been inundated with donations for charity.

Tina Death said: “We were so angry when we realised this horrid man had stolen the charity box. As we are always trying to help local charities, clubs, schools and groups we knew we could only start again and not give up.

“So many kind people saw the story and have been in to help put money towards the breast cancer campaign. We wanted to say a massive thanks to the kind, thoughtful people who have kept our spirits up and given us a helping hand.

“This just proves that there are a lot more good, honest, decent people than bad, greedy people.

“We hope that other shopkeepers who are kind enough to have charity boxes in their shops will remember to tie them down so this doesn’t happen to them.”

With the new donations they have raised a total of �593.63.

The man who stole the box was aged about 50, 6ft tall and slim, with greying brown hair, wearing a black jacket and carrying a black rucksack.

Anyone with information on the theft should call Havering police on 101.