A third Selby charity shop has been ransacked by callous thieves in the space of two weeks.

Staff at Barnardo's in Finkle Street said today that whoever was responsible for the break-ins was "sick".

The Evening Press recently reported how staff at the Imperial Cancer Research shop, in Gowthorpe, expressed shock and disbelief when burglars left a calling card after ransacking the premises.

It read: "Thank you for your generous gift".

On the same night, just a few yards farther down Gowthorpe, the British Heart Foundation shop was also raided - for the second time in three days.

Barnardo's manager Margaret Dixon said the burglars smashed through the office door and made off with a cash float, two lava lamps worth £17.99 each and hay fever medication.

They also kicked a large hole in the wall.

After noticing the thefts she waited outside until other staff arrived for fear the burglars were still in the building.

She said: "It's absolutely sick. What sort of person does something like this? All my staff are very upset about it. The real victims are the children the money is meant for.

"Stealing money is one thing, but to kick the wall in is just unbelievable.

"Breaking into charity shops is the lowest of the low."

Mrs Dixon, who has been at the shop for two-and-a-half years, believes drug addicts were responsible for the raid.

Detective Constable Jimmy Allan, of Selby CID, said there had been a number of shop burglaries in Selby town centre over the last few weeks.

He said: "It's possible that the charity shop break-ins could be linked, but we don't know whether they're drug-related.

"We would appeal to anyone with information to come forward."

Meanwhile, DC Allan said a burglary on the same night at Abbey Pets, in The Crescent, Selby, where several sacks of dog food were taken, was likely to have been committed by the same offenders.

Anyone with information should contact Selby CID on 01757 702596.

Updated: 16:20 Monday, June 11, 2001