A Clarendon Vale community food hub that sells low-cost food to people who cannot afford full prices will shut for a week after thieves broke in and took stock from its shelves.
The Clarendon Vale Neighbourhood Centre’s Community Hub was broken into early this morning.
Manager Kristy Kelly said two men started trying to get in just after 5am, but security systems did not alert staff that they had entered until after 6am.
She said they removed a window grate that was welded at the top and screwed in at the bottom and destroyed two cameras outside.
“It’s really disheartening, especially because of what we do,” Kelly told Pulse.
The hub sells low-cost food at up to 50% off and the centre also offers three free meals a week and free food every day to those in need.
“We make no money from it,” Kelly said.
The men took a significant amount of tuna, along with lollies and the point-of-sale system.
“That could have just been twisted off, but they’ve actually broken that in the process, so it’s no good to anybody now” Kelly said.
“To come in and destroy the place and just do that, it’s extremely disheartening ’cause then that costs us money,”
A donations box on the checkout was not touched.
Backpacks, a black crate and a rubbish bin with a dirty liner were used to carry the food away.
Anyone who believes they have been given food taken in the break-in should not eat it because it could be contaminated, the centre said, as “the men also went through the rubbish and took items from it”.
Volunteers are now counting stock and cleaning up and Kelly said it would take a week to finish the stocktake, sort out insurance and bring in technicians to secure the building.
She said anyone who needed food so desperately should approach the centre instead.
“If people want help, just come and see us. We will definitely help them,” she said.
“There’s no judgment here.”
Tasmania Police is investigating the burglary and has released descriptions of the two men.
One was wearing a green camouflage jacket, red track pants, a face covering, a black hood, a tan snapback cap, black and red sneakers and gloves.
The other was dressed in all black, with a face covering, a black cap and gloves.
Anyone who recognises the men or has information is asked to contact police.
