Shame and chain stop mean thieves

BROWSE: Sisters Lisa (left) and Aimee Ford, both 8, shop for videos and DVDs outside the Wairarapa Resource Centre.

Shame and a public backlash - plus a strong chain - have put an end to thieves raiding a charity's drop-off zone.

The Wairarapa Resource Centre on King St, which sells second-hand merchandise, was losing its best donated items from its street drop-off point, with thieves selling them on via online trading sites.

Staff were arriving in the morning to find the goods picked over, with people spotted in the early hours having a rummage.

Manager Trudi Jones said that, thanks to an article in the Wairarapa Times-Age, the problem stopped.

"People seemed to think it was free stuff and they could help themselves," she said.

"Now they've got a real backlash from the community."

She said there were people in the community who knew what the charity stood for, resulting in some self-policing and shame tactics.

"People who were bringing items in said they wouldn't put up with it," said Ms Jones. "They were going to name and shame."

The centre has put up a chain across their front, which symbolically reinforces the message. "If you step over that chain, it's theft. That shows a clear boundary."