Poppy charity box thief banned from town centre

A man who stole a Poppy Appeal charity box from a pub and snatched £400 in cash from a market stall's till has been banned from entering a town centre.

Andrew Curbishley took the charity box from the bar of a pub in Chestergate, Macclesfield, Cheshire Police said.

Three weeks later he was seen on CCTV raiding a till at a stall in the town's Grosvenor Centre.

The 46-year-old was handed a two-year criminal behaviour order, banning him from Macclesfield town centre after pleading guilty to both theft and burglary offences.

Magistrates in Crewe heard he took the British Legion Poppy Appeal charity box from the pub in on 9 November.

Staff called police and an officer identified Curbishley from CCTV. He was then found and arrested.

On 26 November, officers received a call from a stall owner at the Grosvenor Centre who said £400 had been taken from her till and Curbishley was once again identified.

Police arrested him a second time in a street and found him in possession of the cash.

Sgt Matthew Bassirat describedCurbishley's actions were "utterly deplorable".

He said: "Not only was he content with depriving a local business owner of a substantial amount of money, but he actively chose to steal from a charity that directly supports veterans and the preservation of the memory of those who served to protect our freedom on Remembrance weekend."

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