POLICE have taken to details of a group of men acting suspiciously near a Sainsbury’s store after a glut of thefts from locked charity clothes containers.

It is understood two or three people have been targeting two large bins in the car park to the rear of the superstore in Warren Heath over the past few weeks.

Several times thieves have managed to get into the container where people drop off clothes as donations for Oxfam.

The thefts are said to have occurred late at night or in the early hours of the morning.

It has led to speculation that at least one of the people involved may have known the combination to the locks on the containers, as the bins have shown no sign of forced entry.

A source, who said they were aware of the thefts, said: “Stealing from charities is about is about as low as you can get.”

Last Friday a people carrier was seen in the area of the clothes bank and men were seen acting in a suspicious manner.

Fearing the charity bank was about to be targeted again, police were called just after 10.30pm.

However, no arrests were made although the suspects were spoken to.

Anne-Marie Breach, a spokeswoman for Suffolk Constabulary, said: “Officers were called to Sainsbury’s at Felixstowe Road around 10.40pm on Friday, December 14, after a suspicious vehicle was seen in the car park there.

“Officers attended and spoke to the occupants and their details were taken.

“No crimes were disclosed at the time, and no arrests made, but there are currently on-going enquiries into previous incidents at the site.”