There’s been another disheartening theft from a local charity that was already hit hard just before Christmas.
Someone has stolen $5,000 worth of lights from Bright Nights in Stanley Park, one of Vancouver’s most popular holiday attractions.
It was a similar situation in November when thieves made off with $7,000 worth of cables.
Fortunately, a generous donor came forward and the event was back on track.
This weekend, the organizers were tearing down the displays and noticed the new theft.
Ray Boucher with the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund says it looks like the thieves cut a gate lock and took 15 bins full of Christmas lights and extension cables.
He says it appears the incidents are very similar in nature and were probably perpetrated by the same person or group of people.
Vancouver Park Board Chair Sarah Kirby-Yung told Global News the Park Board will be making a donation to the Burn Fund in the amount of the equipment that was stolen.
The money will come directly out of the Vancouver Park Board fund.
Kirby-Yung says they are in the process of reviewing the security plan for the event.
“In this case, the thieves took advantage of the teardown,” she says. “That’s obviously an area of vulnerability, so we are looking to shore up the security plans. We are looking at how we can prevent these things from happening again. It is very sad to see this kind of theft.”
The Bright Nights display raises money for B.C. burn survivors each Christmas.
With files from Amy Judd and Jon Azpiri
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