A "despicable" would-be thief tried to steal a donation tin from a charity shop. Joshua Preece is now behind bars for the incident at the Sue Ryder charity shop in Peterborough.

A court heard the 20-year-old went to the shop on Bridge Street, Peterborough on August 21 at about 9.45am. He approached the till area and tried to remove the tin but failed and ran from the shop.

In his attempt to remove the tin, he pulled the till over and damaged it. Police were called and Preece was found nearby.

He was arrested and went on to admit attempted theft from a shop and criminal damage.

On Friday (August 22) at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court Preece, of Fallow Drive, Eaton Socon, was jailed for 12 weeks. He was also ordered to pay £50 compensation.

PC Rebecca Risebrow said: “This was a despicable

See Full Page