YOUR COMMUNITY EWSPAPER SINCE 1369

Children’s art displayed ‘PAGE 17

LOSS

$200/

PEOPLE PILFERING donated items left in the alley behind the Lonsdale Avenue Salvation Army store have left the store’s operators sick and tired of taking the loss and cleaning up the mess left behind.

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; . The store’s| manager David By MICHAEL BECKER Bevan estimates the outlet loses News R . ‘ews Reporter over $200 a week in stolen mer-

chandise and hours of staff time spent carting away the damaged and soiled clothing, furniture and household items which are picked over and Jeft behind.

“It seems the rationale for the people that do this is that we get it free so they can help themselves. What they don’t understand is that we have an overhead to sort and distribute it to the public,’’ said Sally Ann sales clerk May Sanches.

Said Bevan: ‘I guess they figure because it’s used and donated stuff they can throw it all over the place. If it was new they would just take it all,’’

The traditional method of col- lecting donations via drop-off boxes has failed the organization due to repeated incidents of van- dalismn. ‘‘There used to be one at the store, but we’d have sleeping drunks in it, and people used to start fires and throw in garbage,”’ said Sanches.

The Lonsdale store is open Monday to Friday !0 a.m. to 4:30 p.m and employees are in the store by 8:30 a.m. every morning to receive goods. But people have been leaving donations at the store

himself. His girlfriend was stan- ding there selecting what she wanted, These people are cheeky.”

LANDERS ea Sta NA APD OES

“A few weeks ago we had a fellow pull in with a truck in the loading bay to help himself. His girlfriend was Standing there selecting what she wanted. These people are cheeky.”’ —Sally Ann sales clerk May Sanches

The store staff are appealing to the public to raake donations dur-

Titian seni: : : ieee pt oT ie after hours, and that’s when the _ ing the outlet’s open hours only, or BS Tey roti adhesin rd 7a e trouble starts. to use the Salvation Army’s free

PILFERED SALVATION ARMY GOODS: SEE. PHOTO PAGE'3

Said Sanches: ‘tA few weeks ago daily home pickup service. we had a fellow pull in with a To use the home pickup service truck in the loading bay to help call the dispatch at 293-1711.