Stealing from charities is especially wrong. Bernie Madoff stole from everyone including charities. Now out of the lovely state of New York comes another story about theft from a charitable organization.

Fifty-five gang members and others have been busted for running a $2 million identity theft ring that targeted high-profile donors who'd given to a Jewish charity.

The donors who were victimized included billionaire investor Ira Rennert and his wife, as well as and former AIG CEO Maurice "Hank" Greenberg.

The DA's office said that among the 55 people arrested were members of the Bloods, Crips and Outlaws were arraigned after taking part in a check scam.

Evidently, a worker at the UJA, which has offices in Midtown, would photocopy checks the charity received from donors such as Rennert and Greenberg's Starr Foundation.

The employee, Tracey Nelson, who processed checks given to the UJA-Federation charity for three years, allegedly sold the checks to the gang members, who then assumed the identities of those who had donated money.

Nelson, who openly wept before a judge, was ordered her held without bail at her arraignment on grand larceny and other charges. She pleaded not guilty.

UJA-Federation said it had worked with authorities and fired Nelson. The charity said no donors suffered financial losses.

As part of the same ID theft ring, prosecutors said they had also arrested three JP Morgan Chase tellers, a worker at TD Bank and a US postal worker.

The accomplices would forge checks, deposit them in other people's bank accounts and withdraw the money as soon as it . Aided by the tellers, the ring sometimes also made phone and wire transfers from the victims' accounts and got credit cards in their names, prosecutors said. The ring is said to have targeted 1,000 people.

These stories are all too common. It would be nice if people would treat others that they wish to be treated. If not, there's always 8 hour theft classes.