A break-in at a downtown business last weekend has the owner concerned — but not because of her own property that was damaged.
Some time between 6 p.m. on Oct. 13 and 1 a.m. on Oct. 14, somebody broke into the Crystal Massia’s Ongoing Garage Sale Store, located on 106 Street next to the town office.
Rather than making off with any of the second-hand goods, however, the thief made off with more than $100 worth of Westlock Food Bank donations the store was collecting.
“I have a different donation every month, but I thought I would do two months for the food bank so it would line up for Christmas,” Massia said. “People bring donations to me, so I want to donate back into the community.”
She said while she understands that business break-ins aren’t necessarily uncommon in Westlock, she’s incredibly frustrated that the thief or thieves would steal donations intended for a local charity.
“I’m hurt. Take from me; don’t take from a charity. They didn’t do anything,” she said.
Massia got a phone call at about 2 a.m., with police informing her the front door of her business had been smashed.
RCMP thought at first that it was just vandalism, not theft, but when she arrived she discovered the back door was unlocked.
Upon further investigation, she saw that somebody had smashed the large glass jar that was holding the donations.
She said she’s thankful the police were able to do some forensic work and collect information about the thief, which could help in the investigation.
“On Sunday they came in and took DNA from the blood sample — they (the thief) cut themselves either smashing the jar or coming through the glass — and they took parts of the jar and parts of the door (for fingerprints),” she said.
Massia said she kept the full jar on the counter because seeing it so full encouraged other customers to put in their change, but she said she will now reconsider that policy and instead keep a running total on a jar that’s emptied every day.
She said she also plans to make up some of the stolen donation money out of her own pocket, because she feels it’s an important service to the community, including some of her customers.
As for who could have been responsible for stealing from the food bank, she said she could not even speculate.
“I’m not sure, it could be anybody,” she said. “I don’t know what the criminal mind thinks.”
Anyone with information about this theft can report it to the Westlock RCMP at 780-349-4491 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
