At least 20 boxes are believed to have been stolen from shops and businesses in the town over the past few months.

Police say they believe many more may have been taken but shops and businesses perhaps may not have reported it as they believe it is the responsibility of the charity to report it.

PC Sara Webb at Whitby police said: "Anybody who can stoop this low to do this is capable of anything.

"It's the lowest of the low stealing from a charity.

"People want to know that when they give money to charity they are actually going to get it not that it will be stolen by thieves," she said.

Whitby Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) are regularly going round Whitby shops advising shop assistants to keep their charity boxes safe.

Police advise some form of security such as a chain and to mark charity boxes. PCSOs will be happy to mark charity box with a uv pen if asked.

A charity box when full can hold at least £10 and may hold much more.

A shopworker at the St Catherine's Hospice Shop in Skinner Street told the Gazette that their charity box was stolen in November and was actually tied to the till with a piece of string so whoever had stolen it had used a knife.

On two occasions, reports of the thief have been made to police of a man with "darkish skin" of a stocky build, approximately 5ft 10in and around 50 years of age.

Many shops do not get a replacement box following a theft.

Charities fear they will be doubly hit given the current credit crunch if people refuse to have charity boxes on their counters anymore.

Sarah Booth from the Great North Air Ambulance said: "We would urge the public to be vigilant and report anyone they see acting suspiciously near collection tins to report it.

"We would ask the public to please keep supporting us and to keep putting money in the tins.

"Last year alone, the tins in the North East, North Yorkshire and Cumbria raised £120,000 and this is phenomenal and it is vital that people keep supporting us.

"We hope whoever is stealing the tins is caught and brought to justice and this doesn't put people off collecting or donating."

Anyone with any information about the thefts is asked to call PC Webb on (0845) 6060247.