THIEVES raided a charity shop on Old Christchurch Road over the New Year period, prompting the manager to consider moving away from Bournemouth.

Linda Tramontini, 63, has lived in Bournemouth for nearly 50 years but now wants to leave after people burgled and “wrecked” the British Red Cross shop she has managed for nine years.

Mrs Tramontini said: “My assistant manager came in early on Monday, she saw the office had been completely wrecked.

“They damaged everything. They opened cards that were meant for volunteers, probably looking for money.”

The shop had been burgled before and the safe was broken into. After this, they decided to hide the safe in an obscure place.

The thieves broke in through a reinforced window which has now been boarded up.

“I am going to ask for metal bars across the windows,” Mrs Tramontini continued.

“I don’t want to be here anymore. Old Christchurch Road is really bad. They need to clear this area up. It smells like a cannabis farm.

“The thing that is most visible is the disrespect. People swear at us, some of the things I’ve been called, I would not dream of speaking to an older person like that.

“(The police) telling the public they are not going to come out for shoplifters is making it so hard for retail.

“I am just here to do a job and help the public as much as I can.”

Dorset Police said they received a report at 8.17am on Monday, December 30 of a commercial burglary that had occurred at the British Red Cross store.

They believed that between 5.30pm on the Saturday and 7.10am on the Monday, entry had been forced onto the premises and a number of items were stolen.

Enquiries were ongoing and no arrests had been made.

“Dorset Police recognises the impact commercial burglaries have on traders who are targeted. We are committed to working with members of the business community to identify those responsible as well as offer advice on security measures that can be put in place,” they said.

“We would urge members of the public to report any suspicious activity or any information they have about offences that have been committed by calling 101.”