Harley thief caught on CCTV

John Scheerhout

July 15, 2009

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A THIEF has been branded the lowest of the low for stealing cash donated for brave Harley Slack.

The heartless crook was captured on CCTV as he snatched the collection box from a newsagent's counter. The money had been given by kind customers to pay for specialist equipment and care for Harley, four, who lost his arms and legs to meningitis.

The thief can be seen on film tucking the box under his arm before fleeing, pursued in vain by staff and customers at Wacky Bargains on Bolton Road in Pendlebury, Salford.

Staff there were so touched by last month's M.E.N. story about the youngster from Hazel Grove that they cut it out and put it on top of a collection box for Harley.

Around £60 was raised, some of it from kids who donated their pocket money.

The thief, wearing a beanie hat, fled down a side street after snatching the collection box.

Shop assistant Wendy Diment, 43, emerged from the stock room to see the front door was closing and the collection box had gone.

Chris Douglas, 17, who is the shop owner's son, searched neighbouring streets but the thief got away.

Wendy said: "I just think he's a scumbag. This guy knew exactly what the collection was for. The Evening News story was on top of it. He just didn't care."

Owner Barbara Douglas said: "I just find it really disgusting. People who don't normally donate to a collection box have been putting money in it. What he did was outrageous and he's got to be caught. Luckily, we have quite good CCTV here in the shop and hopefully we can catch him."

David Hulbert, a friend of Harley's family, said: "He is the lowest of the low. There will have been pensioners and kids putting money in. It makes you wonder if people like that can have any sort of conscience." The M.E.N. and our sister paper the Stockport Express are backing the campaign to raise money for Harley. So far the appeal has raised more than £400,000.

Anyone with information can ring police on 0161 872 5050 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All

PW, Manchester (15/07/2009 at 08:40)

Don't worry. When he's caught, the full force of the do-gooder brigade will sort him out. Most likely being on benefits, he will get his free legal representation. The fact he is a scumbag will probably never enter into anything.

dessie, manchester (15/07/2009 at 09:13)

when he gets caught his face should be splashed all over the tabloids just to show people how low this scum is!!!

Blue Mist (15/07/2009 at 09:33)

So why isn't his photograph splashed all over the papers front page ? Please don't say you cannot do that as it is often done in similar cases. Let's get the scum arrested as quickly as possible.

Mark,Radcliffe. (15/07/2009 at 09:47)

A lesson to be learned here people......collect the cig butt he discarded,for use in possible dna identification.

annon (15/07/2009 at 10:07)

absolutely disgusting...let's hope this scumbag never needs charitable help from the public. He'll get awy with it even if he's caught as he'll come out with some sob-story about how he doesn't get enough benefits to live off!

PB Crumpsall, Manchester (15/07/2009 at 10:14)

To steal any charity box is the lowest - But that poor little kid"s life has been turned upside down - Scum Bag !

Guten Tag, Manchester (15/07/2009 at 10:16)

A 60 quid fool. He probably spent it on cigs and booze, maybe drugs. What a waster. If he's arrested and convicted, here's one for the judge. Make him work for that 60 quid at Harley's house. Paint the place, do the garden, clean or whatever but make him see just who he stole from.

Sam Anderson (15/07/2009 at 10:25)

If this scum is caught I doubt the judge will hand out a sufficient sentance as they never do these days - but I am sure the Kharma Police will see to his punishment - what goes around comes around and all that.

warrman, cheshire (15/07/2009 at 10:26)

This scum would of known exactly what this collection box was for (Harley), as his appeal has been all over the news recently which makes this crime even worse..
Even in the criminal underworld... there are 'lines you do not cross' - and this is one of them.
Can you imagine the shame put on his family when caught!

Angie33 , Manchester (15/07/2009 at 10:41)

Even the crims from the area should turn this one in like they did in the old days.Some crimes,like robbing /conning elderly people were kept in check by local heavies.Wish we could hear from some of them now re gun crime,and below low life crimes like this,usually connected to addiction.What happened to the heavies who 'ran things' before drug/gun crime the taaaaaaaaakeover of communities by yobs etc.What do they have to say about how things are now.Id be interested to know.

A Salfordian, salford (15/07/2009 at 10:48)

In a perfect world we would put him in Albert square with a sign round his neck saying I AM A WORTHLESS SCUMBAG WHO STEALS FROM DISABLED KIDS PLEASE PUNCH ME charge a pound and the proceeds can go to Harleys fund. In reality he wont spend a day in prison and he and his worthless mates will be sat round laughing at this story.When the police arrest him I pray to god he resists arrest he deserves a good hiding.

Max Speed, Cheshire (15/07/2009 at 10:53)

What a little Scum Bag the thief is !!

But, after reading the MEN report,how fantastic it is to see that the funds for little Harley have reached over £400.000.

It sounds a lot of money, but this little boy will need all the help we can give for the rest of his life.
Please support him if you can.

Acid, Chadderton (15/07/2009 at 11:07)

Sometimes you think to yourself that these 'creatures' can't sink any lower. Then they always prove you wrong.

Ace , manchester (15/07/2009 at 11:21)

Ideal candidate for the birch when caught.And the bleeding heart liberal types dont think we need the birch?

chriso, manchester (15/07/2009 at 11:37)

I am 47 years old and think i am a hardened man, after reading the appeal and stories in the Manchester Evening News about Harley, the story reduced me to tears, this story is the most tradgic story i have ever hear of, Harley's parents are the bravest parents in the world and know one could even begin to imagine what they have gone through.
Someone out there must know something about this, i ask you if you have any dignity to report who ever is resposible and bring them to justice.
people have given to harley's fund who were broke and probably gave money they didn't really have, the donation was given by all with emotion and care and thought for this every poorley little boy.

Report in confidence, Give them up now!

chillbill, oldham (15/07/2009 at 11:41)

Why is the CCTV footage not up yet? Put it on the Social networking sites so we can all see this lowlife.

JTC Formerley JimC (15/07/2009 at 12:18)

What a nasty, lowlife piece of xxxx. I hope he is caught soon but feel the system will let us down. Lets hope it does not. This scum wants his head Knocking off.

Where is the cctv footage, is the system protecting this toerag already in not publishing it. (the cctv footage is embedded in the story - Ed)

Steve in Gatley (now in Brisbane) (15/07/2009 at 12:18)

Stories like this remind me just why I chose to leave Broken Britain!!!

Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (15/07/2009 at 12:33)

Make him work for that 60 quid at Harley's house. Paint the place, do the garden, clean or whatever but make him see just who he stole from.
Guten Tag, Manchester

Exactly, I was going to say something similar, you beat me to it.

JTC Formerley JimC (15/07/2009 at 12:36)

Cheers Ed, just watched it, what a piece of trash, somebody has got to recognise him.

jordy, Middleton (15/07/2009 at 12:51)

That's pretty clear cctv footage of the utter scumbag. Hope that he is caught soon, and given the sufficient punishment.

BALL AND BAT, ALL OVER (15/07/2009 at 12:53)

Any money its a heroin addict ill wage a wager with any one i grew up in this area and its just now full of smackheads that in give the lethal injection too.
Ill donate money to this fund if any body else will.
meun just set up a desk to ask for donations and ill be first to donate.

Squire of Newton, Newton nr. Hyde (15/07/2009 at 12:54)

nothing less than a dirty lowlife scrote, i'm hoping he bought a bad fix with the money he stole, and now he's dying in a squalid derelict cellar ...he won't be missed. Only a mother could miss a bum like that, and most probably she dumped him in a squat many years ago.

Blip, Manchester (15/07/2009 at 13:06)

The footage is so clear that it is only a matter of time before this little rat is caught. He should now accept the inevitable and do the decent thing - turn himself in before anybody else gets to him first. If he has already spent the money he should offer to do something for Harley to make up for this. Perhaps he could offer to stand outside the newsagents and charge people 50p a go to throw rotten veg at him and then donate all proceeds to the fund.

Knowsleyman, Paphos (15/07/2009 at 13:08)

In some middle east countries a hand is cut off for theft. In this instance, if, and when caught wouldn't that just be the right sentance?
But, could it be justified to cut BOTH hands off. He wouldn't do it again, and he may have cause to think of the suffering child the collection was for!!!!!!!!

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