EASTERN European gangs are duping householders and stealing millions in a charity clothing scam.
Bags of used clothes intended as donations to help the needy are being shipped to former Eastern bloc countries to be sold at a profit in street markets.
Leaflets pushed through letter boxes are misleading homeowners by making it seem the clothes
are going to the Third World.
But an investigation last year revealed the clothes were taken and sold by Lithuanian gangs, which are estimated to be depriving charities of up £10 million a year in lost revenues.
But the scam is still going strong, a leaflet was this week delivered to Tim Wilson's house on Bellhouse Road, Shiregreen. They have also been found in dozens of towns and cities all over the country, including Cardiff, Brighton, Taunton, Nottingham and Manchester.
Beginning with phrases like "Dear householder", they copy genuine charity flyers by appealing for "urgently needed clothing" while giving the impression it will be donated to Third World countries.
The loss is so bad, Clothes Aid, which runs legitimate collections for charities set up an intelligence unit to catch the gangs at work.
The company estimates £10 million is lost each year to the gangs, who also steal bags meant for Clothes Aid if they see them on doorsteps.
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