Donations destined for a charity that saves lives at sea have been stolen from a popular restaurant next to Arbroath harbour.
The family-run Marina Chip Shop was broken into on Sunday night with thieves taking a Royal National Lifeboat Institution collection bottle and staff tips from the premises.
The RNLI operates more than 350 lifeboats, including operating stations in the town and in nearby Broughty Ferry and Montrose.
Marina Chip Shop staff opened for business as usual on Monday night.
Ryan Cull, 17, whose parents own the business and who works in the shop, said: “They have smashed through the window with a stone and have climbed in and grabbed the first thing they could see, which was the RNLI charity box, before running off.”
He said the collection box had later been found at a nearby block of flats “all smashed up.”
“We’ve had the forensics in so hopefully they find them,” he added.
The takeaway and restaurant overlooks the Brothock Burn at the Arbroath Harbour.
The perpetrators smashed through the glass panel of the door to gain entry to the premises.
The door’s uppermost panel was completely destroyed with glass and signage left strewn on the floor inside the restaurant.
A large, square-edged stone slab was left next to the broken door on the outside of the building.
Restaurant staff were disappointed by the “scummy” attack, but were determined not to let it affect business.
The local community were quick to condemn the break-in with just under a hundred people offering their support to staff and owners on social media.
One commented: “I know how hard everyone works and for some lowlife to do that is beyond me. I hope they manage to catch whoever did this.”
A spokesperson for the RNLI said: “Our collection boxes are an essential part of our fund raising programme and for brand awareness. Losing one of them has an impact, not only for ourselves, but for those members of the public who have made a donation to us.”
“This is an ongoing police enquiry so it is difficult for us to comment further. Other than to say it is disappointing to learn this has happened.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Enquiries are ongoing and no-one has yet been apprehended in relation to this incident.”
