A judge has jailed a gang of thieves for two years each for stealing Royal British Legion collection boxes, calling their crimes "utterly despicable".
Lee Smith, Lisa Martin and Gareth Smith stole five Poppy Appeal tins as they targeted shops across Leicestershire in the week leading up to Remembrance Day.
On one occasion, they used a young child to shield a shopkeeper's view as they stole a charity box from a store's counter.
At Leicester Crown Court yesterday, Judge Simon Hammond described them as a criminal gang who had sunk "as low as you can go".
He said: "What causes me anxiety and disgust is the theft of charity boxes.
"The Royal British Legion was set up after the First World War to help ex-servicemen and their families to gain relief from the suffering of war and to enable us to remember people who gave their lives enabling us to live in a free world.
"To steal Royal British Legion charity boxes is utterly despicable."
One or more members of the trio had stolen from a total of 13 shops in Melton, Loughborough, Castle Donington, Shepshed, Ashby, Coalville and Birstall between August 1 and November 16.
Describing one incident, prosecutor Gary Short said: "On November 10, at Morrisons in Melton , Martin enters and places a child on the counter, concealing a charity box.
"Lee Smith cuts the security cord and as Martin carries out her purchases, Gareth Smith removes the charity box and the three of them leave."
All three defendants had previously served sentences for theft.
Judge Hammond said: "They have a combined record of in excess of 300 offences.
"This is commercial shoplifting and these three were acting as a professional team."
Other items stolen during their spree included alcohol, meat, cosmetics, sun tan lotion and razor blades, worth thousands of pounds in total.
Lee Smith (38), of Warwick Way, Loughborough, pleaded guilty to 12 offences of theft, Martin (33), of Warwick Way, Loughborough, admitted eight thefts and Gareth Smith (29), of Waterside Close, Loughborough, admitted six.
In mitigation, the court heard that Martin, who has two children with Lee Smith, had tried to dissuade her boyfriend from committing the crimes before joining him on the spree and was later remorseful.
Lee Smith had written a letter to the judge and had asked to be treated as the ringleader and for leniency to be shown toward Martin.
Paul Prior, representing Gareth Smith, said his client, who has 124 previous offences, had been motivated by drugs.
Mr Prior said: "Gareth Smith has been utterly sickened by his actions.
"He was under the influence of crack cocaine and heroin at the time of these offences.
"Morality doesn't play any part in their thinking process whatsoever.
"When they became clean again they recognised the appalling nature of what they have done."
