Veterans Center's Future Uncertain After Thieves Steal $5,000 Worth Of Equipment
CITRUS HEIGHTS (CBS13) — Thieves targeted a nonprofit home for veterans, stealing equipment used to help recover from post-traumatic stress disorder.
While the $5,000 of equipment that was stolen was a big loss, the bigger loss was the master contact list of donors, which can never be replaced.
"It's a huge blow."
A wall full of golf clubs, a stereo system, a VCR and VHS tapes, and a refrigerator full of food—all of that is gone after thieves broke into a rehab center for disabled veterans overnight.
The nonprofit group that relies completely on donations moved into a historic Citrus Heights building to help the more than 150,000 veterans in the area that could be dealing with post-traumatic stress.
"They need to be able to learn how to forget about it, put it away and go to a happy, fuzzy place, and that's what we try and help them do."
But the loss of the list of organization's only way of collecting money hits even harder.
"We had a lot of names of people we could contact that have donated to that type of thing, and they are lost to us now."
The future donations were going to be used to help fix the building, give it a new roof and make it ADA compliant for the veterans that come everyday to get help.
But now they'll have to use any money they have left to replace the things that were stolen, leaving the future of the center unclear.
"These fellas have given up a big piece of their life, and then have people like you take it. It's a blow that you'll have to answer to God to, as far as I can see."
The center was closed Tuesday, but will reopen on Wednesday.
