A SHOP owner has had her faith in humanity restored after Weymouth residents rallied around following a shocking theft.

Donations have been pouring in after a story in Saturday’s Echo appealing for information on a brazen thief caught on CCTV taking a charity collection tin from S K Stores in Abbotsbury Road.

Owner Sat Panesar said she is overwhelmed after £235 in donations have been given to Epilepsy Action after the tin containing around £70 was taken.

Mrs Panesar said: “I was quite humbled, people have been coming in and donating money since the story went in the Echo. We raised around £120 over the weekend and Bagwell Farm Touring Park gave us £100.

“I’m absolutely stunned and really humbled.

“I didn’t expect people to come forward with donations.”

She was devastated after the collection, which was in memory of her daughter Kiran who suffered from epilepsy and died in 2009, was stolen on Wednesday.

CCTV footage published by the Echo in an appeal for information showed the brazen thief taking the pot from the counter and putting it into a bag.

Mrs Panesar said dozens of people have come into the shop since the theft to show their support.

She said: “It’s been such emotional rollercoaster over the past few days.

“There have been people giving money who have been made redundant and families that have been affected by epilepsy.

“Lots of people came into the shop and said they know who the person is and have called the police.

“I want to say thank you to everyone who has donated money or called the police with information.

“It’s amazing what a response we have had – it’s restored my faith in humanity.”

She added: “I’m really touched by people’s reaction.

“So many people have phoned the police, it’s really moving.

“I phoned Epilepsy Action to tell them what happened and they are going to send out a replacement box.

“We’ve raised £5,3211 since Kiran’s death and this definitely isn’t going to slow us down.

“There’s been an amazing amount of support, it’s a positive outcome which I really wasn’t expecting.”

Karen Kennedy, manager at Bagwell Farm Touring Park, which donated £100, said: “It was such a heart-rending story.

“We would like to see some good news and remind people like Sat that it’s only the minority that are this awful.”