‘What is wrong with people?’ – Fundraiser box for boy with Down syndrome stolen outside charity shop

The box was located outside Cheap & Cheerful on Barrack Street, which has recently announced it's set to close due to rising costs.

Containing recyclable cans and bottles, the box was a novel fundraising idea for the Blue Bear Benny fundraiser, which aims to purchase a special mobility van for three year old Ben, who has Down syndrome as well as a host of other complex needs.

The idea was that people could donate their recyclable containers into the box and the charity could reclaim the 15c deposit on each can and bottle.

However, on Thursday, the charity shop took to social media to reveal that the box and its contents had been stolen from outside.

"The box had stickers that were specifically for the fundraiser and were being used to collect recyclable cans and bottles to raise funds for Benny's care," a social media post stated.

"We are concerned that someone took this to use for collections for their own benefit.

"We have now ceased all collections at Cheap & Cheerful for recyclables. If you see anyone collecting using the box in the photo please let us know or report to the Gardaí as nobody has asked to run collections to the committee on Ben's behalf."

Naturally, the incident sparked outrage among locals, with one poster asking "what is wrong with people?"