Thieves snatch charity boxes in Bolsover burglary

Sharon Malia from Bolsover discovered her shop, Gifted with Love, had been burgled – causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage – at around 5.30am on Sunday.

After rushing to the premises on Market Place, she saw the door had been smashed in and the gift store ransacked, with no fewer than four charity collection boxes taken, among other items.

She said: “I have been open two years and four months, this is the first time this has happened.

“There’s been tears, anger and disbelief. I have worked so hard for everything I’ve achieved, it’s so disheartening.”

Sharon, 41, added: “I have always said to people this shop is my baby – I have put my life into it. I spend more time here than I do at home.

“It looks like the thieves were disturbed, they have left bags behind which are full up. There’s no blood so there’s no physical evidence.”

Things had been going so well at the shop Sharon was planning to move to a larger premises closer to the town centre.

On how the break-in has affected those plans, she said: “I have got to wait and see how the costing is first and look at how much I have lost and recoup them.

“Hopefully I will bounce back and achieve the move but it is not going to help.”

Unfortunately for Sharon, the shop was not fitted with CCTV.

“When you are working to a budget you can’t afford it,” she said

“With me hoping to move in the next few months I didn’t want to spend. We are waiting on a business across the road that’s got CCTV. The Police have been to knock on a local drug den.”

Sharon has been warmed by the public response to her bad news, however.

She said: “The local community have been brilliant, I’ve had so much help and support.

“Everyone knows it’s just me. It’s just nice to know people care.”

A fundraising page has also been set up to help Sharon. You can donate here.