It was the worst way to start a Monday. A thief allegedly broke into the Carmichael Outreach building over the weekend. Staff and volunteers are safe.
The robbery occurred when no one was there.
According to Carmichael Outreach social media posts, the safe and a few laptops are gone, along with cash and cheque donations to be deposited into the bank.
Aurora Marinari, Carmichael Outreach Development Coordinator, discovered the robbery early Monday morning. “I came into my office yesterday morning and found it in disarray and noticed the safe was missing which is usually stored under my desk. I assumed it was moved since a lot of us are new staff, so I assumed that the safe was repositioned from my office to our CEO’s (office),” Marinari said.
“When I discovered it wasn’t there, I told our kitchen and facilities manager know that the safe was gone from my office, my office was a mess, so I assumed we’d been robbed over the weekend.”
Marinari adds, “I felt a little violated.” After watching security camera footage, Marinari describes, “I saw the gentleman come out of my office and it was very alarming because you’re just watching and empty room on a camera, and then suddenly something appears out of your office and it’s almost like a horror movie like a ghost appears and you weren’t expecting it.”
To access the staff office, thieves needed to get through three locked doors in an alarmed building to get to the safe. Staff say they are disheartened knowing that burglars likely knew that they work with vulnerable members of the community.
Bettyann Cox, Carmichael Outreach CEO, says “We know the alarm code that was used to access the building, I’m not prepared to say who that was, it was an outside agency is what I’ll say and that’s what’s being investigated at this point in time, I presume by the police, everything has been reported to them.”
Regina Police Services confirm they are investigating the case.
Since Carmichael Outreach’s post about the robbery on social media, the community has rallied around the non-profit asking how they can help with donating food, money and supplies. Anyone wanting to make a monetary donation is encouraged to do that online, by phone or in person by dropping off cash or a cheque.
Marinari says, “The outpouring of support from the community has been really wonderful, it says a lot out Regina and Saskatchewan people in general. Tuesday afternoon, Carmichael Outreach posted on their Facebook page that Graham’s Tire donated $10,000.
Cox adds, “We’re just so very thankful for the Regina community and how they step up and support in so many ways and on so many occasions. As unfortunate as it was we’re continuing to work hard for the folk who need our work and hopefully we can make something good from something bad that happened”
It is a boost desperately needed leading into the holiday season. The staff at Carmichael Outreach say will continue to provide care and support to people experiencing poverty and homelessness.
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