Thieves target Surrey charity thrift shop

SURREY (NEWS 1130) — Thieves have targeted the same charity in Surrey three times during the last month, but volunteers say they’re determined to keep helping people in need.

The Surrey Fire Fighters Charitable Society has had to spend donated money boosting security at the thrift store they run in Newton, according to firefighter Dylan Van Rooyen, who’s also a board director.

“We haven’t had any targeted theft in the past, so there hasn’t been a need for anything other than a basic alarm system. We’ve now upgraded the alarm system, and we’re looking at working with the landlord to get some bars, unfortunately, which takes a little bit away from the display window itself.”

They’ve had to replace stolen items, which has cost them more than five thousand dollars. The latest break in targeted a trailer parked in Port Kells on Sept. 15, and thieves made off with first aid equipment.

“It really does take away from our bottom line. Each year, we raise –net– about $200,000 out of the store which is absolutely amazing, but every dollar that we spend on store renovations is a dollar less that goes back into the community,” Van Rooyen says.

The money raised by the thrift store benefits 80 organizations — including the Food Bank, the SPCA, and the Surrey Hospice Society.

These break ins have also rattled the volunteers who run the store.

“None of our volunteers were in the store. Still, it’s a little unsettling and a little nerve-wracking, so the RCMP have actually offered to come in and speak with the volunteers on best practices. A lot of our volunteers are retired members in the community,” he says. “It’s definitely disheartening, but we’re trying to communicate to our volunteers that don’t let this discourage us we’re still doing great work in the community.”

Van Rooyen says it’s not clear if the same people are responsible for all three thefts, but police are investigating.