CALLOUS and disgusting.

That is how police and bosses have described burglars who stole thousands of pounds’ worth of stock from a Southampton charity shop.

They broke into the Oxfam Music Store in East Street and took two computers, a stereo, cash from the collection tin and some of the shop’s most collectable vinyl.

They also raided the first floor on the hunt for valuables, damaging lockers and leaving a trail of destruction behind them.

This is the second time thieves have struck at the shop in two years. In 2011 burglars took almost 3,000 CDs, a computer and a collection tin, together worth £15,000.

Veronica Raymond, 40, area manager of Oxfam Hampshire, said: “It’s not just horrible, it’s totally disgusting really.

“The money goes to the absolute poorest in the world, so that’s who they are stealing from. We just can’t get enough to help people that have absolutely nothing.”

Rob Milner, 31, manager of the Oxfam Music Shop, said: “It’s not a fast act where morals may have momentarily escaped them. It must have taken a lot of thought for them to do this.

“It looks like they’ve cherrypicked a lot of the better vinyls.

“There were definitely items in there that were worth up to £50.”

PC Chris Galpin, of Hampshire police, said: “This was a callous crime, as the store in question is a charity shop and the items stolen would have been donated by members of the public for a good cause.”

The store is looking at further improving its security and asking for the help of the public to donate so they can replenish their stock levels once more.

Anyone with any information should contact PC Galpin at Southampton Central police station on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.