HEARTLESS thieves ransacked a Central Fife charity shop and escaped with valuable equipment and stock.

Volunteers at the Benarty Community Shop have been left devastated after discovering the break in on Monday morning.

They believe the intruders got in by making a hole in the roof and caused substantial damage to the premises.

Manager Lorna Gallagher described the break in as "sickening".

"There's a fair bit of damage in the shop," she told the Times. "It is just sickening, there is no other word for it. Volunteers who come into the shop and work in here for nothing and we give the money out to the community. It is the community that they are hurting – I find it really disgusting.

"They have removed slats from the roof and cut out a hole or hammered the roof. They have come right through and landed on the ground and have stolen quite a few expensive things. We were hoping to start a coffee shop but they have stolen our coffee machine. We bought a new hoover for the cleaner and they have taken that and jewellery from the shop. They are away with the CCTV recorder as well."

The shop, which is kept going by a team of volunteers, was set up around three years ago and proceeds then go to local community projects and initiatives.

"It is a terrible thing to do," said Lorna, "If ever there was a shop I thought would not get targeted, it was us. We help so many people. It is really, really terrible. We work so hard and we are just repulsed by it.

"There are 32 of us – not all of us work there at the same time – but we have got a team of volunteers and they all work really hard. We have never had anything like this.

"We couldn't open today (Monday) and I think we will be closed for the next few days. We will have to get the roof and ceiling fixed before we can open back up."

Lorna and the team said the break-in will not deter them from their efforts.

"The forum members are meeting on Tuesday night to look at how we can go forward and what changes will need to be made – it will not keep us down," she added.

"We have some great support. We have had phone calls offering to come and clean up, people offering to do whatever they can. This has made us feel an awful lot better."

Local councillor Rosemary Liewald said she was "saddened and appalled" to hear of the "wanton damage and vandalism" at the shop.

"Whoever carried this out should be ashamed and recognise what this shop does for the community is outstanding and the lifeline so needed by so many families in this area," she said.

"The work which is carried out by the team here is surpassed by none . If anyone has any information re this matter please contact police on 101 or directly our local Police Office in Cowdenbeath."

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We received a report of a break-in to a business premises in Benarty Square, Ballingry, Lochgelly, around 8.10am on Monday, 24 August, 2020.

“The roof and door has been damaged and items taken.

“Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident 0568 of 24 August, 2020.”