AN organised gang of cruel crooks was caught stealing clothing from a collection bank which supports good causes in a village.

Alresford Parish Council staff spotted a man, dressed in a florescent high-vis jacket, taking clothes out of a collection point outside the pavilion in St Andrew's Close, at around 11.55am on Friday.

After being challenged by council staff the man, who was part of a group, got into a silver Mercedes and fled the scene, taking the contents of the bank with him.

Frank Belgrove, chairman of Alresford Parish Council, said a silver Mercedes was also spotted on CCTV when the clothing bank was targeted three-months earlier.

He said: "The parish clerk spotted the van out the window and recognised it from the previous incident. The men saw us coming towards them and they ran away."

The bank is part of an innovative scheme operated in conjunction with Tendring District Council.

Residents place clothing in the bank before it is collected by a contractor who sells it in bulk.

Alresford Parish Council receives a percentage of the cash collected, which it then distributes to community, sport and charitable groups based in the village via grants.

Mr Belgrove said: "To steal from what is basically a charity collection is the lowest of the low.

"Stealing clothing like this which is destined to help local people is despicable.

"We do not know precisely how much we will lose but it is a significant amount.

"Over six months our income can be around £1,500 from the bank. This particular time it was absolutely full."

Mr Belgrove believes the crooks used a forged key to gain access to the clothing and said other nearby communities have also been targeted.

"This is a gang who have cut keys and are stealing clothes, not just from us, but from places across Tendring," he said.

"It is obviously a lucrative business for them because these banks are often very full.

"I believe they have targeted Elmstead Market and Jaywick recently. It seems to be very organised and they know exactly what they're doing.

"I really want other communities to be aware these people are still operating and to be on guard."

Essex Police have confirmed they are investigating the theft but so far no arrests have been made.

Any witnesses should contact 101 quoting reference 42/170162/19 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.