Branded van, tech, cash stolen from Edmonton animal shelter

The Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society is recovering after its facility was broken into and the robbers took off in the society’s vehicle Saturday.

Video surveillance captured the suspects inside the facility, combing through the space around 5 a.m. Operations Manager Leigh McLean said the three individuals came into the building and forced open the east side door, carrying empty bags and tools.

She said they took a number of items from the office, including laptops, tablets that were used for adoptions, payment processing machines, credit cards, cash and gift cards before eventually finding the keys to AARCS branded 2020 Ford Transit van and smashing their way out.

Luckily, all of the animals were completely accounted for and all doing well, McLean said.

The fenced, locked gate to the society property is now damaged as the society believes the suspects rammed the van through the gate to get out. Security cameras were unplugged before they took the van, said McLean, so not everything was recorded.

“The van itself is really integral to our operations. We do a lot of transporting of animals. We go out into communities to help people and animals in those communities that are outside of Edmonton and outside of Calgary. And those vans are really important to us to fulfill what we’re doing,” said AARCS Edmonton operations manager Leigh McLean.

“It’s really hard to miss. There certainly is no other van like it. It’s a really challenging van to hide,” she said, adding the van’s large size is likely what allowed the suspects to exit through the gate.

The shelter says the theft has been reported to police and it’s now trying to recoup the losses. The gate can be fixed and the items replaced, but the emotional damage is hard to overcome.

“I feel so much for the staff and volunteers in Edmonton. I’ve had my home broken into before, so I understand that feeling of violation of your space. And the fact that our animals were there — thankfully none of our animals were touched,” she said.

Still, the shelter, which already has a camera system, is looking into monitored alarm systems — an added cost that’s not in the non-profit’s current budget.

The budget could take another blow with gate repairs, and potential fixes to the van if it is returned, said McLean who is expecting the cost of damages to be in the thousands. As for now, she said staff are using their personal laptops to get their work done.

— with files from Chris Chacon, Global News

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