Thieves stole a charity box from under the noses of volunteers working at Trowbridge Tourist Information Centre.
An elderly volunteer tried to chase two youths through the town park after a donations box was taken from a counter.
The thieves posed as tourists and duped a volunteer into helping them with leaflets before fleeing out the door with the money at about 2.30pm on Monday, July 29.
The tourist centre, next to St Stephen's Place multi-storey car-park, is a prime target for thieves and vandals.
Margarine has been smeared on shutters and TVs thrown from the car-park onto the roof in previous incidents.
Susan Pope, manager of the TIC, said everyone was left angry at the theft.
She said: "It wasn't a lot of money but it was still upsetting. The money was used to purchase tea and coffee for volunteers.
"Police were here for two hours taking statements.
"All I heard was a screech and one elderly volunteer said the box had gone. It takes you back a bit.
"People say we should open 24 hours a day but we would need an armed guard at night."
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