CHARITY boxes have been stolen from pubs and old people's homes in Cheltenham.
Bosses at the town's branch of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) have been left outraged after three collection boxes were snatched.
It comes amid plans to use the funds to help with flood rescues after the downpours this week.
John Baker, 83, vice president of the Cheltenham branch, said: "It seems unbelievable that there are people in this town prepared to stoop so low as to steal lifeboat collecting boxes.
"This inland town can be very proud of its long history of support for the RNLI.
"As far back as the 1860s, people in our town supported this wonderful maritime life-saving charity and, as many will know, money was raised at that time sufficient for the building of a full-sized lifeboat.
"What irony if the thief or thieves were one day rescued by those whose work they have so wickedly sabotaged."
Mr Baker said a box was taken from a care home in Cheltenham, and two pubs, but he would not name them.
It came just weeks after four Poppy Appeal collection tins for the Royal British Legion were stolen from shops and pubs in the county.
John Couch, chairman of the RNLI branch, said it cost about £385,000 a day to run the charity nationally.
The organisation saves an average of 22 people every day.
He added: "The money does go to the general fund, and as with all the collection boxes all over the county, it goes to the day-to-day running of the charity."
Tamsin Thomas, public relations manager for the RNLI in the South West, called the incidents "tragic".
"We rely totally on public donations," she added.
"It is tragic someone would stoop so low.
"We do have measures in place to try to guard against them being taken.
"Anyone who can steal from a charity is awful."
Keith Coghill, general manager at Summerfield nursing home in Cheltenham, which has a lifeboat collection box on their front desk, said he was appalled at the news.
Mr Coghill added: "People give in good faith for a charity and expect it to have that donation.
"I do support the RNLI very much.
"They really do risk an awful lot and they put their lives at risk to help others.
"It is maddening people are stealing the boxes.
"It's tough for everybody when somebody does bother to give their money to a good cause, and then it gets stolen. It is very low."
Chris Broom, landlord of the Royal Oak pub in Bishop's Cleeve, had a collection box in its bar till last week before it was taken back by the charity for counting.
He said: "To have collection boxes stolen like this is simply shocking.
"They are all for a good cause. They save lives and help affected people living close to the coast, or during floods.
"RNLI need as much funds as possible from as many sources at they can get."
Alexa Collicott, spokesman for Gloucestershire Constabulary, said: "It is such a sad thing that collection boxes have gone missing".
She urged anyone who had any information regarding the thefts to report it to the police by calling 101.
