A couple made off with a charity box off the counter of a pet shop in Alcester, after one of the thieves distracted the manager.

The thieves fled That Pet Place manager Louise Bennett, taking two training leads with them, and it was only when a member of the public came in with an empty charity box – for Redditch-based rabbit charity Hopper Haven – that manager Louise Bennett realised what had happened.

“Checking back on CCTV I could see that the woman, who might have been pregnant, had her eyes darting everywhere and looked really suspicious,”  Louise told the Redditch Standard.

“And then you can see her just sweep the charity box off the counter.

“It’s such a low thing to do, stealing a charity box.”

The thieves are described as being in their mid-30s.