The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

WITH more people looking to the Feeding Bain and Grants Town Project for assistance as the Christmas holidays approach, the Rev C B Moss said his outreach efforts have suffered a blow as thieves have stolen food and equipment from a storage facility.

Rev Moss said he now faces a $10,000 bill to cover the cost of the damage, stolen items and food that the culprits made off with.

Thieves damaged the door of the August Street surplus storage facility and stole a large horizontal freezer filled with meat, two microwaves, a new ceiling fan and a large quantity of liquid eggs, among other items.

 Rev Moss said the thieves also attempted to carry a standing freezer, but because they were unable to fit it through the door, it was left open causing all of the contents inside to spoil.

 The Mt Olive Baptist Church pastor, a long-time inner-city community leader, said the break-in has been “traumatic”.

 “We are not sure exactly the day (the incident happened) but over the last few days it took place,” Rev Moss, chairman of the Bain and Grants Town Advancement Association, told The Tribune.

 “We went there yesterday (Monday). It’s a building that houses some of our surplus food stuff not far from the church and we found the back door smashed in and the Feeding Bain and Grants Town food storage was there.

 “They stole a very large horizontal freezer which was filled with meat — chicken, ham and that sort of stuff — and they also stole a commercial microwave and they stole a smaller microwave, more of the domestic nature. A brand-new ceiling fan still in the box and a significant quantity of liquid eggs that we used for our breakfast feeding was also stolen.

 “The police are tracking it down, but you know once you don’t catch them red-handed it’s almost impossible.

 “So, we want to alert the public in the event that they see any of these items. We also want to make an appeal for replacement because the freezer and the microwave were donated to us by the Deltec Banking Corporation in October 2020 and we don’t have the money to replace it.

 “It’s been a traumatic experience, but we’re going to move on,” he said.

 Rev Moss said he was unsure of the motive behind the unfortunate act.

 “I don’t know what motive to put behind that to tell the truth. I know it’s not people who are in need for themselves because if they were they would come and we would give them. I think they see this as an opportunity to sell and make money or something or persons who are substance abusers. You know you can’t predict what they will do.”

 Despite the incident, he said it would not be a deterrent to the work the programme intends to do this holiday season.

 “We’re not devastated because we realise that it’s a part of the game. People just steal for various reasons. It has put us back, but thank God people have been generous and we are hoping that the public will demonstrate generosity in this case to help us replace the things that were stolen.

 “We are increasing the frequency of our food distribution because the holidays are coming up so it does set us back, but we believe that it’s going to be alright because from March of last year when we first launched the Feeding Bain Town Project, we have been able to supply the demands that were placed on us, not only by residents of Bain and Grants Town, but from throughout New Providence.

 “So, God will provide. We believe that,” he said.

 He said the outreach centre plans to serve lunch today despite the setback.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the South Street Police Station at 356-5723.