THIEVES who smashed their way into a charity shop outlet have been blasted for taking funds away from terminally ill people.

Weldmar Furniture Outlet staff said they have been left devastated by the break-in, which caused thousands of pounds worth of damage.

The thieves forced the door of the Weymouth outlet on the Granby Industrial Estate, smashed open the till and ransacked the office.

The shop, which sells donated furniture and goods to raise money for the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust, remained closed yesterday while crime scene investigators worked at the scene.

Outlet assistant Jackie Loiselle said: “It’s the mentality of someone who has done this to a charity organisation.

“It costs £350 a day to keep a patient in a bed at the hospice.

“The money from our funds that goes to our patients will have to go to repairing the damage.”

The furniture outlet in Oxford Court was opened just four months ago.

It is run by paid staff, three volunteers and a volunteer driver.

Mrs Loiselle discovered the damage yesterday morning when she arrived to open up the shop.

She said: “I saw the smashed window and I thought ‘what’s happened?’ “I called the police as soon as I realised we’d had a break-in.”

The area is covered by CCTV cameras and footage will be examined by Dorset Police.

Area manager Beverley Peck said: “This has been a bit of a setback for us. We’ve got to get a new till, a new front door and a new filing cabinet.

“The money we’ve raised will have to go to repairing what’s been broken.”

Staff said all the people who have donated goods to the shop have been let down by the thieves’ actions.

Mrs Loiselle said: “This is going to upset a lot of people because it’s money they have helped us to raise which is being taken away.

“It’s so sad – you have to hope that for the people who did this, someone in their family isn’t in the hospice and isn’t going to need their services one day.”

Area manager Beverley Peck said the theft has come at a bad time for Weldmar.

“These are hard times and this just makes it harder.

“I cannot believe people would do this to a charity – we have so many people who volunteer for us and who give up their time for Weldmar.

“I suppose we’re lucky they didn’t damage the stock.

“It’s a shame that we’ve had to turn a lot of people away today who came to us and have been asking why we aren’t open.”

Weldmar executive officer Liz Billingham said staff are devastated by the theft.

She added: “The sad thing is that someone has taken from a charity when we work so hard to raise money to support people with life-limiting illnesses.”

A Dorset Police spokesman said the break-in was reported at 8.44am yesterday.

He said: “Entry was gained by forcing the door.

“The commercial burglary happened between 5pm on Tuesday and 8am yesterday.

“We are appealing for witnesses who saw any suspicious activity at this time.

“They should call Dorset Police on 101 and ask to speak to the officer in the case, PC Holly Damen.”