A Ripon charity shop has been left with a £5,000 bill following a break-in.
The St Michael’s Hospice charity shop on North Street was broken into overnight on Monday (14th April).
Staff arrived at the shop yesterday morning to find the shop front to be vandalised and the inside of the store raided.
The team estimates that the Ripon shop will be closed for at least two days whilst essential repairs take place.
Costs from repair bills and loss of takings from the closure of the store are estimated to be at least £5,000.
This figure equates to two days of nursing costs for the Saint Michael’s inpatient unit.
Maria Corbin, who volunteers in the Ripon shop every Tuesday morning, has first-hand experience of the care provided at Saint Michael’s Hospice.
Her husband, Tony, was cared for at the hospice and died following a short battle with cancer in August 2023.
Maria said she is “absolutely appalled” at the break-in and is determined to help the Ripon shop to recoup vital costs, even pledging money herself to help with additional security measures.
Maria said:
“It's devastating that a shop that helps provide that care for families has been broken in to.
“When Tony died, we created a tribute page for him and raised £4,000 for Saint Michael’s and I will happily donate again to help the Ripon shop.
“What people don’t understand is that care at the hospice is free at the point of need, and with inadequate government funding, it’s the generosity of the community and charity shops like Ripon that help provide vital income.
“We haven't been able to take any money today because obviously the shop is shut.”
She added:
“We can't open until the police have been either, so we've lost revenue today, and we need to make that revenue up one way or another.
“If people can kindly donate cash or items to the shop, then we won't have lost out.
“And if we don't lose out as a shop, then the people who need help in the community and at the hospice won’t lose out either.
“It’s so sad that this has happened.
“I can’t believe anyone would be so cruel as to target a charity shop.”
People can donate here to help Saint Michael’s recoup costs following the incident.
North Yorkshire Police have been notified and if you have any information, please call 101, quoting crime reference number 15052025-0119.
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