Pensioner club’s Christmas lunch money is stolen
2:10pm Monday 1st December 2008
thieves raided a pensioners’ meeting and stole £370 of their Christmas party money.
Two men targeted a bring and buy sale, held by the Southend branch of the Federation of Royal Mail and BT Pensioners and stole cash and cheques members had handed in to pay for their annual festive meal.
The pensioners were left in shock after one of the men brazenly walked into the main hall of Clarence Road Baptist Church, Southend, grabbed the money from a table and ran out.
Branch deputy chairman Colin Melluish said: “It happened so quickly there was nothing anyone could do.
“Everyone is so upset and it really leaves you with a bad feeling, It’s horrible.”
The two men had been seen loitering in the foyer of the church before the theft, at about 3.20pm on Wednesday, November 19.
It has left the group’s funds for their Christmas meal running low, but the determined pensioners are adamant the event, to be held at the Arlington Rooms, Leigh, on December 8, will go ahead as planned.
Both thieves were white and well-dressed.
The man who stole the money was in his early 20s, of slim build, with black hair and was wearing a black top.
Anyone with information should call Essex Police on 0300 3334444.
