A THIEF who stole poppy appeal tins as the UK remembered fallen servicemen and women has been jailed.

Philip Allum, of Clarence Park Road in Pokesdown, stole seven Royal British Legion collection boxes during November.

The court heard that Allum stole Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal collection boxes from One Stop shop in Anchor Road in Bournemouth and Maddisons in Fulwood Avenue in Bournemouth on November 7, Natwest Bank in Haven Road, Poole, on November 8 and from a location in Sandbanks Road in Poole on November 14.

Allum also admitted to stealing a collection box from the Tesco filling station in Caird Avenue, New Milton, on November 2 and the Co-operative store in Lymington on November 6.

Allum also pleaded guilty to two fraud by false representation offences which occurred at Fordingbridge service station, Southampton Road, on Sunday 2 October 2016 and the Co-operative store, Stopples Lane, Hordle, Lymington, on Tuesday 25 October 2016.

He pleaded guilty to stealing bottles of engine oil from Fordingbridge service station on Wednesday 5 October 2016 and the Co-operative store, Lymington, on Thursday 27 October 2016. 

Police Constable Corina Palmer, of Bournemouth police, said: “Phillip Allum is an opportunistic thief who stole funds that had been donated by kind-hearted members of the public for the Armed Forces family.

“I hope the sentence handed out by the court will act as reminder that this time of criminal activity will simply not be tolerated in our communities.”

He was jailed for four and a half months.

A spokesperson from the Royal British Legion said: “The losses deprive those in the service and ex-service community and their families of much needed assistance and support from the Legion."