Feed Me Geelong’s freezers emptied in overnight robbery

Following the second alleged theft from a local volunteer organisation this week, the founder of a Geelong charity that feeds the needy is trying to look at the positives.

Feed Me Geelong volunteers at its St Albans Park base after thieves stole donated food that would have fed more than 300 families. Picture: Brad Fleet.

A Geelong charity that gives food to those in need had its fridges emptied in a senseless robbery in the early hours of Wednesday.

CCTV footage shows a hooded figure allegedly breaking into Feed Me Geelong on Westmoreland St in St Albans Park just before 1am and emptying fridges that contained food that was to be distributed to people in need.

After scrambling to replace the donated food that would have fed over 300 families, volunteers returned to the site on Thursday morning to find the temporary cable ties on the back door cut, but did not report anything as stolen.

Feed Me Geelong manager Sammy Harrison said she was “absolutely shocked” when they found out the food was missing.

Feed Me Geelong manager Sammy Harrison. Picture: Brad Fleet.

“We were shocked that something like that could actually happen to a charity where we literally give away everything for free,” Ms Harrison said.

“They just had to ask.

“I was sad that someone would talk advantage of us in that way, not really knowing the consequences of what that means to so many families.

“You feel violated.”

CCTV of the incident.

Feed Me founder and chief executive Lana Purcell said it was hard to fathom the theft when their doors were open daily for anyone in need.

“I know life is really hard, but the whole reason we exist is to make food accessible to those doing it tough … so people don’t have to steal from supermarkets,” she said.

Ms Purcell said they had already received substantial financial and food donations in response to the incident, with their Facebook being shared almost 300 as of Thursday afternoon.

She said volunteers were now working hard to restock shelves and put together deliverable meals for in-need Geelong families.

“I expect we’ll see a huge outpouring of support today (Thursday),” she said.

“There’s a positive in everything, and maybe we get an opportunity to make people aware of the need.”

This person was also captured on CCTV.

FeedMe’s social media post received a strong response from people both wanting to help and expressing outrage over the incident.

“Makes my blood boil to think that someone is so low that they steal from an organisation that helps the most vulnerable members of our society,” one person wrote.

Another said they wish the alleged thief had “the courage to ask for food instead of stealing”.

The incident comes in the same week a volunteer firefighter had his ute allegedly stolen from Werneth Fire Station, 75km west of Geelong, while he was battling a blaze near Rokewood on Monday.

Zac Carty sought public assistance via Facebook to find the vehicle, with more than 1900 people sharing the post before it was located on Wednesday evening.

Originally published as Feed Me Geelong’s freezers emptied in overnight robbery