Thieves broke into a charity shop in Rainham last night and snatched nearly £300 from the safe.

The break-in at the More Sense unit in the shopping precinct was discovered by a shop assistant arriving at work just after 8.30am.

Miss Julie Chaproniere noticed the door at the front was open and immediately alerted the caretaker and police.

The charity shop, which raises money for the deaf and blind, sells furniture,clothes and bric-a-brac.

Miss Chaproniere said she had been to the bank the day with the Christmas takings.

She said: “It was the first day of the banks being open for business. Otherwise there would have been a lot more in there.”

About £240 in cash and a £50 float was taken from a back room where filing cabinets had been ransacked.

Mis Chaproniere added that: “ They were obviously just after the cash and not interested in anything else.

“Thank goodness nobody was here at the time and nobody was hurt.”

She added that they able to open for business early this afternoon

Police are believed to be examining CCTV coverage.