Coronavirus: Thieves stealing food parcels left on doorsteps of country’s most vulnerable people

Packages are lifelines for those with severe health conditions who have been told not to go outside – even to shop – during pandemic

Crucial food packages left for the country’s most vulnerable people are being stolen from their doorsteps, police have revealed.

Thieves are swiping the lifeline parcels after they are placed outside the homes of those told not to leave the house – even to shop – because they are so at risk from coronavirus.

Cleveland Police are now investigating a number of such thefts, which they say could ultimately lead to loss of life if victims end up needing to go out to replace stolen essentials.

Packages – which include pasta, cereals, tinned foods and teabags – are being sent out to many of the 1.5 million people told they are most at risk from Covid-19 and should not leave the house under any circumstance.

Recipients – described as the shielded – include organ transplantees, cancer patients, people with severe lung conditions, those with weakened immune systems and pregnant women with heart conditions.

Chief Superintendent Thom McLoughlin, of Cleveland Police, which covers Middlesborough, Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees, described the thefts as “heartless”.

In a statement released by the force, he added: “In itself this is appalling but the concern is that ultimately this may force those shielding to venture out to source food supplies putting themselves or family members at additional risk.

“Every day our officers on the streets see evidence of communities coming together in unity against Covid-19, every Thursday we hear the clapping for our amazing NHS and carers, and we see story after story on social media of heroism and sacrifice.

“We will not let the actions of a few heartless criminals tarnish the work of so many and we will make every effort to bring them to justice.”

The warning comes after it emerged that a pensioner was forced to eat out of her rubbish bin to survive after a food delivery was stolen from her doorstep earlier this month.

Metropolitan Police officers were notified of a woman who had no friends or family nearby and so had ordered groceries online.

However, the 84-year-old became ”imprisoned in her own home” in Feltham, south London, after accidentally locking herself inside “with no way of leaving”, officers said.

While she was trapped, a “callous individual took advantage of the situation” and stole the food delivery from her front doorstep, the Met said in a Facebook post.

When officers arrived at her home they found the victim “had literally no food in” her fridge and “had resorted to eating out of the rubbish bin to survive”.