Two laptop computers and a safe were stolen from the food bank in Maple Ridge Thursday, Jan. 5.
Two people were caught on camera outside the Friends In Need Food Bank at around 5:30 a.m. before the door to the administrative offices in the front of the complex was pried open.
Evan Seal, general manager of the food bank, said the pair were recorded breaking into the facility before proceeding up the stairs, where they punched out a lock on a door at the top to gain access to the floor. Then they kicked in every door to all the offices upstairs. Four doors in total were broken.
Two laptops sitting on two of the desks were stolen along with the safe that was pried from a wall.
“Luckily the safe had been cleaned out yesterday, so there was very little in the safe,” said Seal.
“Still the damage to the suite upstairs – all of our doors are smashed – and, of course, having your laptop stolen is pretty unnerving with information that’s on your laptop,” he added.
Seal noted they have video of the culprits entering the building. One was wearing bright red shoes, and the other a dark hoodie with a white pattern running up the left sleeve and across the hood.
Both were wearing masks covering their faces, elaborated Seal.
He does not know how much it is going to cost them to repair the facility at this point. He had a locksmith at the building on Thursday afternoon, to not only install a new deadbolt, but secure the doorframe on the outside door.
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“It’s not just the door, but the door jams. All the framing, the frames are smashed. In order to replace the doors they have to replace the whole frame on all the office doors upstairs.”
Seal was relieved they were still able to get their tents up and feed people on Thursday. But, he said, it’s definitely unnerving when people steal from a food bank.
“We’re out here trying to help people ,and you have somebody who comes and breaks into your premises and steals your safe and steals your computers,” he said.
And, he added, the robbery has impacted his staff who are feeling quite violated.
• The News has contacted the Ridge Meadows RCMP for further information
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