Two Men Nabbed Stealing Mountains of Clothes from Salvation Army Bank
Two men were caught red-handed on June 30th stealing donated clothes from the Salvation Army Clothing Bank in Market Square, Battle. Their van was so stuffed with stolen garments, they could barely shut the doors, leading to their swift arrest.
Suspects Linked to Over 22 Clothing Bank Thefts Across East Sussex
Police identified the culprits as Viktoras Samulilis, 30, and Deividas Savickis, 24, both from St Leonards, Hastings. Officers linked them to more than 22 similar raids on clothing banks across East Sussex. The pair faced charges of theft from these charity donation points.
Community Sentence and Fines for Clothing Bandits
On August 21, 2024, Samulilis and Savickis appeared before Hastings Magistrates. They admitted to thefts at clothing banks in Battle and Eastbourne. The court handed down community orders requiring them to complete 120 hours of unpaid work within the next year. They were also slapped with a £114 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.
Salvation Army Warns of Impact as Clothes Heists Grow
The Salvation Army revealed it lost several tons of donated clothes to these thefts. The charity expressed serious concern over the damage to their fundraising efforts, which depend heavily on public donations through clothing banks.
“The public must stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity to protect vital charitable work,” Salvation Army officials urged.
This case shines a spotlight on a disturbing rise in thefts targeting donation points across the region, putting crucial charity services at risk.
