Tony Hall said he was appalled at those responsible for the thefts, which he suspects may have been coordinated by the same group of people.

Three collection boxes were stolen from shops in the West Street area and Mr Hall said on Wednesday that two more boxes had been stolen from town centre business premises.

“How low can some of these people stoop?” he said. “This money was donated in good faith by members of the public to help people who have been injured and maimed in the service of their country.

“Yet there are those out there who are prepared to steal it. They are despicable.”

Mr Hall contrasted the situation this week with that in 2007, when just one collection box in Portadown was stolen.

“What sort of person would do that? What type of individual can walk into a shop, lift a collecting box and make off with it? It makes me sick.

“Portadown produces the best figures in Northern Ireland for sums raised for the Poppy Appeal year after year. The people of the town deserve credit for the fact that they are so willing to support it, as do all the shops, schools and factories where money is collected.

“And the volunteers who give of their time to ensure that we continue to maintain the standard now expected of us are people to be proud of, too.

“When you compare them to the type of people who would steal a collection box, you can only wonder what is wrong with some individuals.”

Mr Hall said it was difficult to estimate how much money had been stolen.

“You always expect something like this to happen once, but this seems to be something that’s organised, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we lose more,” he added. “It’s hard to know how much money has gone but the three premises in West Street said that most people were putting notes into the boxes rather than coins.”

The Remembrance Sunday commemoration will take place as usual at the War Memorial in Portadown at 11am.

Text us your views on the theft of the boxes to 81800, starting your message with PTTEXT and then a space.