Thrift stores targeted in recent string of thefts

A string of thefts has been occurring in Sussex County. The target? Thrift stores. 

William Schatzabel, a volunteer at All Saints Parish Thrift Shop said, "We see theft on a daily basis. Sometimes it's obvious, sometimes not so obvious."

People have been stealing items from both inside thrift stores, and outside at donation drop-offs in Sussex County. 

Schatzabel said, "If you're stealing, what you're really doing is stealing from the poor, because that is where the money is going, so yes it's theft and you're taking from poor people."

Shop volunteers said the theft hurts more than just their thrift stores, it hurts the Sussex County community as a whole.

Rena Daniels, the Store Manager of God's Way Thrift Store, said, "When they're taking from us, see, we're trying to help the homeless community and that's a lot from people that are taking it from us."

There's another problem at hand.

People are dumping off their donations at thrift stores after hours, and leaving it for store owners to deal with.

Daniels said, "Well we actually have a sign out front, well in the back, I'm sorry, that actually lets them know the times they are allowed to drop off now, they're not allowed to just leave it. We definitely want to look through it first and foremost and make sure it's all good because a lot of people have the tendency to drop things we don't need so yeah, we've definitely implemented that."

A lot of the items that people are dropping off after hours are considered junk, and have to be taken to the dump by store owners which, in turn, costs more money.

Schatzabel said, "That's actually another form of theft because yes, we have to take that and take it to the dump up on Route 5 and then we have to pay for the weight to be disposed of so again, that's money out of our pockets and the pockets of the poor. They don't realize it, but that's a form of theft."

For those people that feel they have no choice but to steal because they can't afford items, store owners said they are more than willing to help those who are truly in need. 

Daniels said, "They can actually come into a thrift store let them know, let me know for instance, that they're homeless and let us see what we can do. I would think that all thrift stores do that."

Delaware State Police said that if you get caught stealing or shoplifting, you could face hefty fines or even a jail sentence.