A heartless raider smashed into a charity shop and made off with a safe and the day's takings of €1,500, which were destined to help needy people this Christmas.

Gardaí were last night examining CCTV footage in a bid to catch the culprit who broke into the St Vincent de Paul charity shop in Cabra, north Dublin, on Wednesday night.

It is understood the thief made off with around €1,500 in cash.

St Vincent de Paul regional manager Mark O'Brien said the €3,000 damage to the shop plus the loss of earnings couldn't have come at a worse time for the Catholic charity.

Expand Close The St Vincent de Paul Shop in Cabra. Photo: Kyran O'Brien / Facebook

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Whatsapp The St Vincent de Paul Shop in Cabra. Photo: Kyran O'Brien

It was also forced to close the shop for half a day.

"The amount of need out there is massive," he said. "Things are pretty bad out there. We're seeing a lot of people still struggling with unemployment and under-employment."

Expand Close Damage to the front door of the St Vincent de Paul Shop in Cabra after there robbery. Photo: Kyran O'Brien / Facebook

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Whatsapp Damage to the front door of the St Vincent de Paul Shop in Cabra after there robbery. Photo: Kyran O'Brien

Mr O'Brien said the loss of revenue meant "about 40 families will suffer as a result". The cash would otherwise go to help the poor pay for food, clothing, utilities and other basic necessities.

Shop manager Dorcas More O'Ferrall said she was stunned when she arrived to open the store and found the door shutter broken.

After alerting gardaí, she entered the store and was horrified to find the till float, petty cash and the office safe had been stolen on one of the shop's busiest days of the year.

"All of the money we made yesterday was gone," she said.

The daily takings would normally be lodged in the bank, but because the shop was so busy with people dropping off donations and buying gifts staff didn't have time to deposit the money, she said.

Irish Independent