THREE charity boxes, two of them for the poppy appeal, have been stolen in separate incidents on the same day.

Kent Police think the incidents are linked. The thieves have been described by witnesses as two men and two women of Asian or Eastern European appearance who were in a VW Polo car.

The first occurred on Thursday between 2pm and 2.30pm when a group of people went into a farm shop on Hadlow Road, Tonbridge.

They asked if they could change some money into different denominations. After they left staff discovered the poppy appeal charity box was missing.

Between 2.30pm and 2.50pm a group of people went into Leigh Post Office and again asked about changing money. This was refused as shop staff were suspicious. |After the group left, the collection box for Guide Dogs for the Blind was missing.

At a pub in Four Elms, between 4pm and 5pm, what appears to be the same group of people asked to change some money. After they left staff discovered the poppy appeal charity box was missing.

Neighbourhood officer Sgt Justin Watts said: "It seems that the method used to steal the charity boxes was to distract staff by asking to change money and making it as complicated a process as possible.

"My advice has to be: if you are asked for change be wary and do not let yourself be distracted."