They stole the collection bucket on the day of Liverpool's match vs Paris Saint-Germain
Fans Supporting Foodbanks has condemned the incident(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
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Merseyside Police has launched an investigation after "chancers" stole a charity collection bucket outside Anfield on Tuesday, April 14. Posting on X, Fans Supporting Foodbanks hit out at the thieves, who struck on the night of Liverpool's Champions League quarter-final match against Paris Saint-Germain. The organisation said: "After over 10 years of foodbank collections at Anfield, Goodison Park and the HDS some chancer took the opportunity to steal our collection bucket this evening. Shame on you, I hope your need is greater than the people we feed and the CCTV images are as clear as can be."
The volunteer-led organisation has spent more than a decade supporting people facing food poverty across Liverpool after it was founded in 2015 by Everton supporters Dave Kelly and Robbie Daniels, alongside Liverpool fan and West Derby MP Ian Byrne.
Police said the collection bucket was stolen between 6.30pm and 8pm. The thieves are believed to have distracted staff at a stand run by the charity before stealing the cash box. CCTV and witness enquiries are in the process of being carried out, police said.
Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Sean Harrison said: “To target and steal from a charity in such a way is despicable and we will not tolerate this. We know the area outside of the stadium would have been busy ahead of the Liverpool v Paris Saint-Germain game on Tuesday evening and it is possible someone witnessed the theft.
“I would appeal for anyone who was in the area who saw anything suspicious or has any information to assist us to get in touch so that we can identify the offender and bring them to justice.”
Anyone with information should contact Merseyside Police's social media desk via X or Facebook @MerPolCC.
You can also report information via the police website: https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ or by calling 101 quoting incident reference 26000294471.
Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their website here: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously.
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