St Vincent De Paul volunteer manager Michael Brien can only shake his head in disgust after thieves smashed the front window and stole charitable goods from the store, leaving a trail of damage in their wake.

The front middle window was quickly replaced after robbers targeted the premises last Wednesday night. Mr Brien is appalled over the break-in.

“They took the cash register, a mountain bike that was donated only a month ago, and the staff toilets were trashed,” he said.

Volunteers at the store are cleaning up after the first robbery in more than a year, although they are thankful more damage was not inflicted.

“We have been robbed numerous times, usually through the roof, but we are very lucky this time that more things were not taken,” Mr Brien said.

“My reaction? Plain disgust.

“We’re helping quite a lot of people in the community, we assist most families, and then they turn around and rob you. We are all volunteers here and this is what happens, this is what we get.”

The store is short of volunteers, however they are overwhelmed with donations received through the clothing bin.

“The bin is full every week,” Mr Brien said.

“Unfortunately we have to throw a lot of it out. What you won’t wear we don’t want,” Mr Brien said.

“The other thing we are worried about is when the tip fee starts we will get a lot more rubbish. We don’t want that.

Fortunately, there was no money in the cash register at the time of the robbery, although the eight speed, blue coloured mountain bike has not yet been recovered.

“There is no money kept on the premises so there

is no point in trying to break in. We just hope someone finds the bike and reports it to police,” Mr Brien said.