The Opportunity Shop, also known as the Red Flag, has been raising money in Glen Innes for over a century. Denise Pryor, now president, has volunteered at the store for 18 years. She said she was "gutted" by the crime.

"It's just a low act," she said.

"If they ended up in hospital they'd be sleeping lying in a bed that we donated or sitting on a chair we donated."

The shop donated some $176,000 last year, with organisations like the high school, the Deepwater and district radio and the Glen Innes army cadets among well over a dozen community organisations that have received support. The shop accepts and sells donations of clothing and household goods, but unlike St Vincent de Paul's and other op shops, is run entirely locally, one of the last in the country.

Ms Pryor said the crime wasn't just a demoralising blow to their 45 voluntary staff, but literally took away money that could have been donated to community groups. She said it was also an insult to everyone who'd donated to the store.

Police say a person broke into the store on Saturday evening or early Sunday morning, stealing money. They are investigating the break in, and sent officers to dust the store for fingerprints on Monday. The crime was discovered at 9.00 on Sunday morning.

Inspector Matthew Hemsworth condemned the break in as a low act and said the police are aiming to to clear up the offence.

Police are appealing to any member of the public with information of the offence to get in contact.

Ms Pryor said she thought the Glen Innes community would be outraged by the crime.

"People that come to the shop yesterday because we were closed, the comments they made weren't nice," she said.

The store was founded in 1915 to raise funds to help ANZACS serving overseas, and was originally based in the Glen Innes town hall. Renamed after the second world war, the shop was organised entirely by women and is one of a handful of volunteer op shops organised locally still surviving anywhere in the country. It's well known by the red flag it flies when open.

This isn't the first time the shop has been burgled. About six years ago another person smashed a window and stole clothes.

They've also been forced to invest over $1200 in cameras by rampant shoplifting, particularly from their donations bin out the front.

"it's been an ongoing thing; there's always been somebody that's willing to put something in their pocket," said Ms Pryor.

"I've seen a man put two egg lifters down his shirt. He still comes in today and he still does the very same thing and you just cannot catch him. Or if you catch him he's very argumentative.

"People from all walks of life (steal), people that are quite wealthy."

They've decided to send their camera footage to the police. She said they don't want to have to dob people in, she just wants people to stop stealing from a charity. She estimates she's seen perhaps 14 people steal from them.

"If they're prosecuted, if they're named and shamed, they will stop," she said.

The latest burglary is particularly dreadful though.

"I do think it's disgraceful, I'm just gutted."