A BOURNEMOUTH food bank has asked people to stop leaving donations at night after thieves repeatedly stole from their bin. 

West Howe foodbank Hope For Food has taken the step to inform the public after criminals continued to ransack its headquarters, most notably on May 17 at 3am. 

Although caught on camera several times and reported to police, the food bank has claimed police have said they will take no further action due to 'not enough evidence'. 

Operations manager, Mary Duncan, 73, said: "Because it's a donation bin and it's outside, it's very difficult because we don't know that things have been donated.

"I was informed that a large food donation was donated and unfortunately I didn't know in time as when I went round there it was all gone."

The couple can be seen in camera footage arriving in a car and taking items and, although confronted by the camera owner who can speak through the device, the couple are believed to have returned several times since. 

Due to police not launching a further investigation, it has left HFF helpless to the situation and the organisation is aiming to make sure they are put to best use. 

Mary said: "They've been back several times and we're now very careful and make sure that we try not to leave anything out there but it's difficult because we're not always open when people try and donate. 

"The food bank is feeding 160 families a week so we need all the donations we can get because we're not funded by anybody. We're at a point to fulfil the requests we get every week, we are having to buy food."

Mary stated police said they would not investigate further as the footage did not show the incident happened directly at Hope For Food. 

Anyone who wants to donate to the foodbank can phone HFF directly at 07391084807.

The Echo has contacted Dorset Police for comment.