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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have reported this man to the police

48 replies

RunAwayWife · 09/05/2011 11:38

It's that time of year when I go in to spring clean over drive, I have cleared out all the wardrobes and this has resulted in 4 black sacks loads of clothes to give to the charity shop, all the clothes are clean in good condition and in some cases hardly worn {growing child} so We got a bag through the door from the NSPCC asking for clothes and I thought they could have the 4 sacks, stacked them on the doorstep this morning with the NSPCC bag clearly attached to them. So I was cleaning in the bedroom when a van comes along, it is marked for another "charity" we did have a bag from them but it is one of these that sells the clothes on and not something I wish to support, and he stops comes to the door and starts to take the bags, by the time I got down the stairs he had the 4 bags in the van and was about to get in, I said Excuse me but those bags are not for you, he was very rude saying yes they were, I told him they clearly had the NSPCC bag on them and they were not for his collection, he was not having any of it got in the van and drove off, so I have reported him to the police, I know it seems petty but I do not want to support what he is collecting for and the bags were clearly marked for something else.
I am very cross and in future will take things to the shop and not use these bags.

OP posts:
BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 09/05/2011 11:39

YANBU - he is stealing.....and from a charity too....dispicable!!

LilQueenie · 09/05/2011 11:41

yanbu I would have done the same. That is essentially stealing from charity.

prettyfly1 · 09/05/2011 11:42

Effectively what he did was theft. Call the charity he works for and complains and if you get no joy call the press.

Original poster
RunAwayWife · 09/05/2011 11:42

I am so cross as I do not want to support what he was collecting for, and I think the NSPCC have missed out Sad

OP posts:
prettyfly1 · 09/05/2011 11:42

PS Name the charity he works for on here. NAME AND SHAME!!!!

Original poster
RunAwayWife · 09/05/2011 11:43

Prettyfly I think I still have the bag from them so will go find it and see if there is a number/email.
Good idea

OP posts:
TheyKnowEsperanto · 09/05/2011 11:43

yanbu - tell the charity this is happening too. It might explain a recent drop in collections for them and they might have had other complaints from people like yourself and can complain to the police too.

What is this charity the van man works for? Name and shame.

aldiwhore · 09/05/2011 11:43

YANBU

Original poster
RunAwayWife · 09/05/2011 11:44

I will call them first and see if I get any joy otherwise I shall name and shame.

OP posts:
Hammy02 · 09/05/2011 11:44

YANBU. He was no more entitled them to the bags than anyone else. It is basic theft.

flimflammery · 09/05/2011 11:48

I'd be surprised if it turns out to be a genuine charity.

theDudesmummy · 09/05/2011 11:50

This is theft, report to the company and the police for sure. Most of these so-called charities that collect clothes are scams. Can you name them here?

kreecherlivesupstairs · 09/05/2011 11:55

That is dreadful. I remember those clothes collecters from about 11 years ago. I had been happily putting out sacks of used clothing for them. One day I had a proper look at the leaflet. Indirectly it did say they would be sending the clothing to Africa (Nigeria IIRC). The implication was the clothes would be going to people who couldn't afford them. Closer examination showed they would be being sold at markets to benefit the people giving out the leaflets.
OP, do phone the police.

IgnoringTheChildren · 09/05/2011 11:58

It's clearly something that charities are aware happens and some of them have messages printed on their bags saying that the contents belong to whatever charity and to take them is theft (as I noticed whilst using several different bags whilst having a clear out - strangely enough they were all collected by whichever charity came the next day anyway Hmm)

You definitely did the right thing - you made it clear he shouldn't take them and he did anyway so it was theft.

Interestingly, while I don't normally mind which charity takes my donation of clothes, the latest bag to come through my door isn't even for a registered charity! It proclaims "Our new project needs your support" and "For Japan" on the front. On the back it lists a mobile telephone number and a company reg number. As it isn't a charity and I'm rather skeptical of exactly what they're planning on doing "for Japan" I've decided to keep the latest lot of out-grown baby clothes for a bit longer!

FlamingFannyDrawers · 09/05/2011 12:01

Reminds of the time i put one of those bags out when i was about 16, I had just had a clear out of old clothes. Anyway, the day after the bag had been collected the teenage girl next door was parading around in one of my discarded outfits. I asked if she had taken the bag but she denied it (of course) Everyday she kept appearing with my old clothes on. I was none too pleased but nothing i could do.

I agree with the others, report the thief.

ZonkedOut · 09/05/2011 12:09

If you read the leaflet that comes with these bags for collection, many of them collect the clothes and give a certain donation per ton of clothes to the charity they list. A lot of them are for charities I've never heard of before too. I don't like putting out bags for that reason. I'd rather take things down to the local charity shop instead.

aswellasyou · 09/05/2011 12:10

YANBU. These people don't usually work for the charity as such. They are businesses who collect donations, sell them and give a percentage of the profits to the named charity. There are some of them that actually just unlawfully use the name on their bags but don't give anything to the charity. It is actually very unusual for the items to simply be given to the charity or for the charity to be given a significant amount of the proceeds. I would never fill up one of these bags but I know there are many people who would find it difficult to drop off the donations themselves.

chubbly · 09/05/2011 12:12

Yanbu, we have so many collection bags come through our door. Some are genuine but even our nspcc one is collected by another company that donates a minimum amount. I usually give the good stuff to the local ones that sell it for themselves and load up all the crap. I.e. Clothes too worn etc for the other collectors, they can sell it for rag - which goes into making insulation, I'd rather it was recycled than on the rubbish heap.
Our nspcc bag says contact them if someone else has taken bags intended for them.

Kallista · 09/05/2011 12:15

YANBU. I get charity bags through my door; most charities are well known.
I checked one bag with a name that i did not recognise and there was no charity registration number.
I phoned Crimestoppers who said that anyone can send out these bags - as long as they don't claim to be a registered charity if they are not. Sadly the police can't stop them.
BUT - the man who took your bags DID commit a crime.
He was clearly not from the NSPCC and took the bags from your property when you clearly said no. That is theft - with an aggressive attitude.

Numberfour · 09/05/2011 12:18

YANBU at all. Well done for reporting him!!

Honeydragon · 09/05/2011 12:26

YADNBU!

Years ago I was a sack deliver and collector as a volunteer no one got paid, other than petrol cost for the van. I wouldn't dream of taking a bag for another charity. It annoys me that the charitys do this through businesses now, as we were never short of volunteers.

theDudesmummy · 09/05/2011 12:39

I always take things personally to an Oxfam shop because of this very problem.

mrskbpw · 09/05/2011 12:43

YANBU. It's definitely theft.

My friend lives above a charity shop. People dump stuff all weekend outside the shop, despite there being many signs up asking them not to. Then, on Sunday nights, these vans arrive and take all the 'good stuff' that's been left - and sometimes even dump some not-so-good stuff out of their own van.

MercurySoccer · 09/05/2011 12:47

YANBU

MrsKwazii · 09/05/2011 12:48

YADNBU Also call the licensing team at your local council as these collectors are meant to be registered. Bastards.

I always take my unwanted stuff directly to the local charity shops. I think that these doorstep collections are really hitting donation levels for some of them.

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