A HEARTLESS thief was caught on camera brazenly stealing a charity tin full of cash raised for vulnerable children.

The man nabbed the charity box set out to raise money for Children In Need at Nisa Extra Supermarket, Eastern Esplanade, Southend.

Staff at the store have been left in shock and say they blame themselves for not catching the thief.

Shocking footage, released by the store bosses, shows the brazen thief enter the popular seafront store and take the charity box in full view.

Owner Arum Sentooran said: “The man came into the shop and the cashier had gone to fill up some stock on the shelves.

“He just picked it up and took it, there was about £40 in the tin.

“We noticed straight away but we couldn’t have done anything about it.

“It is absolutely disgusting that someone would do this sort of thing.

“It is not the sort of thing you would expect to happen.”

The 40-year-old added: “We’ve had people come in and take drinks but you do not expect someone to steal a charity collection box and it’s worse at Christmas.

“Each year we like to give some money to a good cause and we were looking forward to it.

“Now we’ve got to find a replacement charity tin.

“The staff working on the day blame themselves for this and feel they should have stopped him but we could do anything.

“The staff are all disgusted.”

The incident has sent shock waves through the community.

Matt Dent, Labour councillor for Kursaal slammed the brazen thief for his shocking actions.

He said: “It is genuinely shocking that someone would do this.

“The thought that someone would steal from a charity at Christmas is like a Charles Dickens novel.

“I hope the video helps police to identify and catch this man.

“This sort of behaviour is just not acceptable.

“For someone to come along and basically steal from children is disgusting.

“I think most people would be disgusted by this.

“Lots of people in Southend give money to charity and for someone to come along, like this, and steal it is so immoral.

Anyone with any information on the theft should contact Essex Police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.