HUNDREDS of pounds was stolen from a cash register and charity boxes during a raid on a village butchers.

Thieves used a crowbar to break into Ramsey Master Butchers, in Main Road, on Saturday at 7.34pm.

After smashing their way through the back door, the raiders took £200 from the till as well as money from two charity boxes.

The charity boxes were for Essex Air Ambulance and the RNLI.

They were both nearly full with donations when the thieves stole them.

Joe Pedersen, who runs the butchers, was alerted to the break-in by the shop’s neighbour who saw the back door was open and called the police.

The incident was caught on the neighbour’s CCTV camera, even though the crooks avoided the butchers’ camera.

The 41-year-old said: “Two men came around the back of the shop with their hoods up and used a crowbar.

“They ran in, took the money they needed and scarpered as quickly as possible.

“It’s the first time we have been raided.”

Mr Pedersen said the thieves were caught on CCTV leaving and entering the butchers.

He said his six staff members were angered to find out about the raid.

He said: “They are all cross because we work hard and we are a local business - you shouldn’t break-in to your local shops.

“I hate thieves and liars, and this has made me frustrated.” More than 38,000 people have viewed the shop’s Facebook post about the break-in and shared it more than 600 times.

Mr Pedersen said: “Fingerprints have been taken as they did not use gloves when leaving.

“It happened in daylight so the break-in was captured clearly on CCTV.”

He has thanked residents for their kind messages of support following the raid.

An Essex Police spokesman said officers were called to the incident at 7.35pm.

The force has urged anyone with information to contact them on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.