Shock at Brighton RNLI as Charity Collection Box Raided Twice
Volunteers at Brighton Lifeboat Station were stunned to find their donation box smashed and emptied not once, but twice this month.
Twice Targeted: Thieves Hit Lifesaving Charity
The external collection box outside the RNLI Brighton shop at Brighton Marina was broken into twice in recent weeks. The RNLI, a charity dedicated to saving lives at sea, depends heavily on public donations.
Volunteers Left Disheartened by Theft
Last year, Brighton’s lifeboat crew launched 35 times, rescuing 16 people. The crew, all unpaid volunteers, rely on donations to fund vital training and equipment.
“The money in that collection box was generously donated by members of the public who chose to support the work we do,” said the crew. “Our volunteers work extremely hard to keep us launching to rescue those in need. This only adds to the difficulty.”
Donation Box Replaced with Contactless Machine
Because donations are voluntary, it’s tough to say exactly how much was stolen. To prevent further losses, the station is removing the old box and installing a safer contactless donation machine in the shop window.
The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations across the UK and Ireland, manned by dedicated volunteers saving lives every day. But crimes like this hit their lifesaving work where it hurts the most – the public’s goodwill.
