A THIEF stole a paperboy’s Christmas tip after it was left for him in a letterbox.

The occupant of the house in Lammas Way, Wivenhoe, left £5 in an envelope outside her home overnight on Monday for it to be collected by the delivery boy the following morning.

But she was awoken at 4.30am on Tuesday by somebody brazenly taking the money.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said: “It cannot be right somebody is doing this.

“I put it out at about 9.30pm and at about 4.30am I heard it being tugged out.

“I went downstairs and heard it being pulled out.

“I tried to open the door but could not do it in time because it was double locked.

“In truth, it is probably better I didn’t because I don’t know what they would have done.

“I just wanted to make people aware not to do it this way.”