A man's been charged after he allegedly stole money from a charity box at a Cessnock primary school last night.
The 28-year-old from Neath is accused of setting off an alarm at St Patrick's after breaking in and taking $70 in coins.
Police were quickly on scene and arrested him after chasing him on foot for several hundred metres into an open drain.
It's alleged he's also responsible for two other break-ins in the Cessnock area over the past couple of weeks.
He's been refused bail to front Cessnock Local Court today.
