Charity shops are among the latest victims in a spate of burglaries in one town – prompting community leaders to condemn the offenders.

It comes as it emerged a man in his nineties has also fallen victim to burglars.

The latest incident, on Tuesday night, saw Maryport charity shop Owl Blue broken into.

It is the second charity shop to be broken into in a month, but the sixth theft involving a charity.

Last month burglars smashed the front window of the Age UK shop and stole various items.

Police have reported a spike of burglaries in Maryport, with 18 incidents reported since April 22.

This includes eight dwellings and eight town centre businesses as well as outbuildings elsewhere.

In the past few months two charity boxes have been stolen from The Bakehouse, one from Owl Blue, one from opticians Kirkbride Eye Care and, earlier

this year, one from Her Citi, the Crosby Street cafe.

Angela Kendall, town council chairman, said: “Any theft is appalling but breaking into charity shops and stealing charity boxes is even more so.”

She said she was really surprised at the number of incidents there have been in recent months.

“I don’t know if it is because the police station has closed and there are fewer police around or whether people are just finding it easier to pinch rather than to work.

“It is just appalling.”

She said she was aware that it was a tiny minority of Maryport’s population involved in such crime, but that did not make it any easier for the victims. “We had a neighbour in his nineties who was confronted by a thief in his own home,” she said.

“It is not just what is stolen but the hurt, the feeling of violation that comes with this.”

Owl Blue, a charity that helps children, was burgled when thieves smashed through a back door.

“They took my float money – only about £20 and stole a charity bottle which I had hidden so they must have seen me putting it away sometime,” a representative of the charity said.

He said targeting charities was low but added, “I am not taking it personally”.

“We have a Shop Watch scheme in Maryport but I think we could do more with that. I would like to see it strengthened.”

Debbie Wright, Her Citi cafe owner and former chairwoman of the Love Maryport town promotion group, said the thefts were a sad indictment on the town.

“You don’t want Maryport to be judged by these people.

“Maryport people do so much for charity but these thieves, who are so few in number are doing so much harm to the people they target.

“I agree with Mrs Kendall. Any theft is bad, but you can’t get much lower than stealing from charity. It’s disgusting.

“We now have cameras installed because of the cost of the damage caused.”