AUSTRALIA COMPUTER STOLEN FROM CHARITYThieves ruin Christmas for sick kids. 13/12/2004. ABC News OnlineThieves ruin Christmas for sick kids
Thieves have stolen $17,000 worth of money and goods from a charity that grants wishes to seriously ill children.

The East Melbourne offices of the Starlight Children's Foundation were broken into yesterday morning.

A safe and items including a laptop computer were taken.

The foundation says the funds were raised by the public and were going to grant Christmas wishes to nearly 600 children.

Spokeswoman Melissa Hay says staff and volunteers are devastated.

"It truly isn't in the spirit of Christmas," she said.

"It's one of those things, the community are so supportive of Starlight, we just can't believe that this has happened."