Sometimes we're disgusted at how lousy people can be.

The Waterville Salvation Army store has been plagued of late by people dumping their useless items (broken sofas, dirty mattresses, soiled clothes, electronics that don't work) outside the store in the nighttime and stealing items from the store's donation pile.

It may not be stealing candy from a baby, but it's pretty lousy.

The Salvation Army exists to help those in need. It is not a garbage disposal company, nor is it in the business of handing out freebies to just anyone. It sells the items donated to them at low prices and uses that money to assist families and individuals who are having a hard time. Or it takes those items and gives them to people whose homes have burned or who are otherwise in trouble.

So stealing the items that are donated to the Salvation Army isn't just stealing from a charity, it's stealing from those in need of that charity. And dumping trash that the Salvation Army must pay to have hauled away is, similarly, stealing from the organization and those whom it helps.

The store's manager -- a charitable soul who also happens to be an ex-cop -- says she's had it and will ask local police to nail the perps who are making so much trouble. We're with her. This is one case where the charity in our souls runs out.