A WILTON charity shop forced to close after a weekend burglary is now appealing to the community for help as it works to recover from the damage and loss of donated stock.

The ALABARÉ Emporium, run by homelessness charity ALABARÉ, was targeted by burglars between the evening of Saturday, March 7 and midday on Sunday, March 8.

The break-in, which also affected nearby Premier Seeds, left the charity shop with damage to its premises and missing items, forcing it to close while repairs are carried out.

Now the charity has launched a fundraising appeal to help cover the unexpected costs and lost income caused by the incident.

On its JustGiving page, the charity said: “We’re asking for your support to help us reopen on 11 March. Please donate if you can via our JustGiving link. Thank you for standing with us.”

Damage to the filing cabinet.

Because the items stolen had been donated, the charity says they cannot be reclaimed through insurance.

Principal lead for individual giving, legacies and retail Nicola Dunford said: “We are disappointed to share that ALABARÉ’s Wilton Emporium has been affected by a burglary over the weekend.

“While this is an isolated incident, it is concerning and can affect our colleagues, so our priority now is to ensure their safety and well-being.”

Locks have been tampered with.

She added that the burglary has created financial challenges for the charity.

“The incident will result in a loss of income for us, due to the enforced store closure, but also the theft of stock items that were donated to ALABARÉ for onward sale.

“There are additional costs associated with repairing the damage caused during the burglary, too.

“We are reaching out to the community to ask for support us and get the shop back on its feet. If you can, please donate to our JustGiving page.”

Intruders gained access to the building.

Police enquiries into the burglary are ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Wiltshire Police on 101 quoting reference number 54260028224 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously.

To contribute to ALABARÉ’s JustGiving appeal, follow the link.