Chadwell Heath charity shop wrecked by vandals
Salvador Tripi outside the charity shop - Credit: Archant
A charity shop manager was left devastated after his Chadwell Heath store was trashed throughout by vandals.
Salvador Tripi arrived at Latin Smile in High Road on Tuesday morning to discover the window smashed and the inside of his shop wrecked.
The vandals, who did not steal anything, had broken numerous items and damaged parts of the second hand shop’s interior.
Latin Smile raises money to help alleviate poverty in South America and also runs a food bank for struggling families in the UK.
Speaking to the Post Mr Tripi said: “I couldn’t believe it when I saw what had happened, I was devastated. So many things were broken.
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“What makes me really upset is that it wasn’t even a burglary, it appears they just wanted to destroy the place. I have no idea why.”
Mr Tripi and a group of volunteers spent many hours cleaning up the shop, the window was fixed and the store opened for business again today.
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But as many of the goods he was selling were ruined in the attack he is urging the public to donate anything they can from clothes to non-perishable food.
“We’d be so grateful if people could donate a few bits to help us through the next few weeks,” he explained. “It would make such a difference to us.”
Items can be dropped off at the shop during opening hours. For more information on Latin Smile go to latinsmile-uk.com.
Police are investigating the vandalism.
Anyone with information should contact officers by calling 101 or by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting reference 5100828/13.
