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Three dog-shaped charity collection boxes have been stolen from Oxfordshire railways stations.

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The boxes had been placed at Bicester North and Banbury stations to collect money for Guide Dogs for the blind.

A man was spotted on CCTV taking one at Bicester on 9 November. Two boxes were recovered empty and another has since been taken from Banbury station.

Graham Kensett, from the Guide Dogs charity, said it was "a particularly heartless crime".

Police have released a CCTV image of one of the three-ft (90cm) high dog-shaped boxes being stolen from Bicester station.

PC Gary Archer of British Transport Police said: "This is a sad case that has seen charity boxes taken from a public space."

Mr Kensett said: "The money that was stolen was given to Guide Dogs by the public to help blind and partially sighted people. We rely on donations to fund our work which transforms the lives of thousands of people who are living with sight loss.

British Transport Police (BTP) officers are appealing for information after three charity boxes were stolen from Bicester and Banbury rail stations.

The three-foot dog-shaped boxes, which were placed at stations to raise money for Guide Dogs, were taken between Friday, 9 and Tuesday, 13 November.

An image of the man taking one of the charity collection boxes from Bicester station has today been released in a bid to identify whoever is responsible.

PC Gary Archer, the investigating officer, said: ^Around 3.50am on Friday, 9 November, CCTV captured a man entering Bicester North station before removing two collection boxes.  Officers were alerted and, after carrying out a search of the area, discovered two of the discarded boxes, which had been emptied.^

A box was also taken from Banbury station sometime between Friday, 9 November and Tuesday, 13 November.

PC Archer added: ^This is a sad case that has seen charity boxes taken from a public space. These callous thefts are simply unacceptable and when the victim is a charity, it makes the thefts particularly heinous. It is imperative that we trace whoever is responsible, and I^d urge anyone with any information into these despicable crimes to come forward and assist officers in this investigation.^

Graham Kensett, Mobility Team Manager, Guide Dogs Leamington Spa, said: "This was a particularly heartless crime as the money that was stolen was given to Guide Dogs by the public to help blind and partially sighted people. We rely on donations to fund our work which transforms the lives of thousands of people who are living with sight loss. We urge anyone with any information about the thefts to contact the British Transport Police."

Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 quoting B7/LNA of 20/11/2012. Information can also be passed to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

British Transport Police
Incident room number: 0800 40 50 40 (quoting reference B7/LNA of 20/11/12)

Date and time of offence: 03:50 Friday 9 November 2012
Location: Bicester North railway station, Oxfordshire

Summary of the offence:

CCTV cameras at Bicester North railway station record a man in dark trousers and a hoodie running across the train tracks.

When he is on the platform he walks over to a charity box which is shaped like a guide dog.

He cuts the chains which secure it and carries it off ^ back across the tracks, the way he came. He carefully pops his canine companion on to the platform before jumping up.

The dog was discarded nearby with the money from inside it having been stolen, which was around ^350.

This offence is possibly linked to a similar offence at Banbury railway station, which occurred between Friday 9 and Tuesday 13 November 2012.