Cruel thefts from Salvos
A LOCAL Salvation Army branch’s food supplies for vulnerable people have been stolen for the second time in two weeks.
The Salvation Army Northside Geelong Community Centre was robbed of a small amount of food on September 20 and again on Tuesday.
They are the latest in a series of thefts from the Corio charity, which was also robbed of hundreds of dollars worth of food in March.
In the theft earlier this year, $500 worth of food was stolen, including 10kg of sausages, 10kg of chicken, 36 litres of milk, 48 eggs and a range of other supplies.
It meant more than 100 Geelong residents went hungry for two days as the centre had to cancel its free community lunches.
Community centre co-ordinator Jo Cresswell said she was forced to keep less food in the coolroom in case it was stolen.
She said the thieves were caught on camera using a crowbar to lift the cool room door, which was now dented.
In the latest heist, thieves stole a backpack full of groceries as well as a 5kg roll of pastry.
“Fortunately I didn’t have a lot in the coolroom,” Ms Cresswell said.
“They took some casseroles that were donated to us by the Geelong Football Club.
“The most disappointing thing was they even took the jelly cups we had left over from our school holiday program.”
Ms Cresswell said the latest thefts had sparked widespread outrage in the community, although she wondered if the thieves were also desperate for food. 1 Morning after silly but
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of goods
Ms Cresswell said she planned to install a roller door to protect the coolroom, as well as extending the centre’s alarm system.
The Salvation Army thefts came after equipment worth thousands of dollars was stolen from Norlane Community Initiatives in August.
Thieves broke into the group’s Spruhan Ave headquarters in Norlane in a bitter blow to the organisation that cares for vulnerable people through programs addressing social isolation, food security, activating local leadership, health and wellbeing.
Ms Cresswell urged the thieves to stop.
Anyone needing assistance can contact the Salvation Army Northside Geelong Community Centre to access the community meals program on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at noon.