A charity box for RAF veterans has been stolen from social supermarket Niftie’s in Dover.

Founder Nathaniel Richards, whose idea it was to create a supermarket at reduced prices for those in need in the area, noticed the charity box was gone at about 1pm today.

The collection had about £40 inside it and Mr Richards reported the incident to the police immediately.

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He said: “I set this up in Dover to improve Dover, not to have people steal from my shop.

“There’s no excuse for stealing from people who are worse off than you. They are the elderly population who served in the RAF and need access to care, It’s inexcusable.

“I don’t know how people like that can sleep at night.”

The social supermarket in the Charlton Centre was set up in June in an effort to fight poverty and stop food waste by providing low cost items.

The shop sells damaged products, or items near to its sell-by date from wholesalers.

The most expensive item in the shop is 70p.

He added that if anyone is so desperate as to steal from a charity box that they could come into the shop and he would give them food - that is what he is trying to do.

He posted a video on to the Facebook page to share his feelings on the theft.

This comes after a charity box for Dover teenager Kelly Turner was stolen from a newsagents in Hythe.

A press spokesman for Kent Police confirmed that officers are investigating the theft from the Charlton Centre, High Street from between 1.10pm and 1.15pm on Monday, August 1.

Niftie’s was initially a temporary venture, for just one week, but after its popularity, it has now become a permanent fixture.

Mr Richards, 25, lives in Tower Hamlets with his wife Bethanie and their children Zack, Freddie and Florence.

He said: “We are working together to improve the community.”

Niftie’s is working with other community groups such as Dover Big Local, and has applied for funding from Comic Relief and the Port of Dover Community Fund, in order to get a bigger shop.

For more information, search for Niftie’s on Facebook.