A CHARITABLE resident wants to make Brixington residents aware of thieves who have been stealing bags filled with donations for the British Heart Foundation from doorsteps. Geoff Smith, of Maple Drive, who called the crime despicable , said he noticed tw

A CHARITABLE resident wants to make Brixington residents aware of thieves who have been stealing bags filled with donations for the British Heart Foundation from doorsteps.

Geoff Smith, of Maple Drive, who called the crime 'despicable', said he noticed two young men in a white transit van acting suspiciously last week, before the charity's official van arrived.

The men, described to be in their early 20s and wearing orange shirts, were then seen rushing to residents' doorsteps where they snatched the large bags.

Mr Smith, 57, who along with his wife, has supported the British Heart Foundation for around eight years, said: "I thought something was not quite right when I saw them running around and on their mobile phones.

"It is despicable what they have done.

"They threw the bags into their van and about half an hour later the British Heart Foundation vehicle turned up but had nothing left to collect."

Mr Smith said he was told by a member of staff at the charity shop that this type of incident had been going on for a number of months.

"I phoned the BHF shop to report the incident and they said it's not a new problem.

"They have been in contact with the police, only to be told they can't do anything without knowing what the registration number of the van was.

"The BHF driver has altered the times of his round recently, so presumably these men have been trying to beat him to the bags."

He added: "They probably think there is something of value in them.

"A number of my neighbours, who also put donations out, had them taken by the same men."

The assistant manager of the British Heart Foundation shop in Exmouth, condemned the bag-snatching.

She said: "At one point recently, bags from a large area were being taken.