Honesty box falls prey to pilfering once more

Thieves have once again abused the trust being placed on people by stealing from a so-called “honesty box”.

Gruting resident Esther Jeromson believes she is being targeted after yet another incident where money was taken from her suffering small business.

Last week The Shetland Times revealed how Ms Jeromson was one of the West Side producers, offering fresh produce to passers-by, to fall victim to opportunistic criminals. Her honesty box was raided on three occasions, while a separate box laid out by Transition Turrifield in Sandness also fell victim to crime.

Now, thieves have struck again, helping themselves to money, eggs and traditional beremeal bannocks. Ms Jeromson contacted this news­paper on Tuesday night to lament their criminality.

“[Last] Wednesday night I was robbed again. The money was gone.

“On Sunday, through the day … a bag of beremeal bannocks and half a dozen hens eggs went. Then on Monday I got [a] cash box screwed into the wooden honesty box and I left a small plastic tub with about £2-£3 in small change in it.

“I put more eggs out at 4.30pm tonight [Tuesday], and everything was in order. I have just been out to check the box now, at approximately 7.30pm, and the small tub with the couple of pounds’ change in it has gone.

“You don’t like to give into who­ever is doing it but … I am beginning to feel as though I am just being targeted.”