A thieving duo were caught stealing tonnes of donated clothes when police spotted their van bursting at the seams.

A total of 22 Salvation Army clothing banks across the region were targeted by Viktoras Samulilis and Deividas Savickis, who broke into the bins and stole the clothes inside.

Police spotted the pair struggling to close the doors on the overweight van... because there were so many clothes inside.

Officers took this picture of the back of the vanOfficers took this picture of the back of the van (Image: Sussex Police)

Samulilis, 30, and Savickis, 24, both from St Leonards, were arrested on suspicion of theft on June 30 in Market Square, Battle.

Shocking pictures from the scene show the white Transit van outside a Salvation Army bin in the Lower Market car park with dozens of bags crammed into the back.

Clothes were almost falling out of the vanClothes were almost falling out of the van (Image: Sussex Police)

They appeared at Hastings Magistrates Court on August 21, where they were sentenced to a community order of 120 hours unpaid work, and pay £199 in costs and fees.

The Salvation Army said it lost several tonnes of donated clothing due to the crime spree.